Nebraska DHHS Launches Telemedicine Initiative to Improve Patient Care in Rural Areas

Nebraska DHHS has launched a new program that equips small-town ambulances with life-saving telemedicine technology to improve patient care in rural areas. The $1.3 million initiative, funded by a Centers for Disease Control Health Disparities grant, aims to provide rural EMS crews with additional support and resources when transporting patients to distant hospitals.

The pilot program, in partnership with Avel eCare based in Sioux City, South Dakota, connects EMS crews to physicians, paramedics, and registered nurses virtually. Tim Wilson, the state’s director of the Office of Emergency Health Systems for DHHS, highlighted the goal of the program to provide resources similar to those found in hospital emergency rooms to rural EMS crews. The program aims to assist EMS crews, support retention and recruitment efforts, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

Friend Rescue is one of the 20 rural EMS crews benefiting from the program. With just 11 volunteers covering roughly 100 square miles, rescue captain Kelly Paulsen emphasized the importance of having access to telemedicine technology when there is only one EMT working on a patient in the back of the ambulance. This technology not only helps the crew but also enhances patient care and documentation during emergency calls.

Paulsen noted that their local hospital, Warren Memorial, uses the same telemedicine technology in their ER. This allows for seamless continuity of care with just a press of a button. The hospital can be notified in advance about incoming patients, providing them with essential information to prepare for their arrival and immediate treatment.

Wilson expressed his hopes of securing funding to extend the pilot program for another year and expand telemedicine services to more rural EMS ambulances across the state. The initiative aims to bridge the gap in healthcare access for rural communities and enhance the quality of emergency medical care in remote areas.

The new telemedicine technology will enable small-town ambulances with life-saving capabilities that would have been impossible before this initiative was launched.