University of Alabama at Birmingham cardiologists and rheumatologists will begin using telehealth to treat patients at four rural medical centers across the state.
The Daniel Foundation of Alabama, a nonprofit grant organization that focuses on improving the health of Alabama residents, is funding the telehealth services. The grant will support the providers' cost for telehealth appointments as well as add a telehealth-equipped room at four Alabama hospitals: Regional Medical Center of Central Alabama in Butler County, J. Paul Jones Hospital in Wilcox County, Bibb Medical Center in Bibb County and Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital in Marengo County. Patients of these hospitals will be able to consult with UAB specialists through virtual appointments.
"This grant will allow us to test the economic model for delivery of outpatient telehealth services," said Eric Wallace, MD, medical director of UAB eMedicine. "This funding will allow us to build an outpatient telehealth practice, while examining and overcoming barriers to telehealth in each unique site."
Two UAB cardiologists, Gilbert Perry, MD, and Greg Chapman, MD, will provide the telehealth services. The program will launch at J. Paul Jones Hospital before expanding to the other three hospitals throughout the remainder of 2019.