Category
News
Important Webinar: Healthcare Access Through Mobile Technology
The Healthworks Collaborative will sponsor an mHealth webinar on May 23, 2012 where C3O Telemedicine’s President, Dr. Herb Rogove, along with Doximity’s Medical Director Dr. Alex Blau, and Dr. Marc Mitchell, Founder and President of d-Tree International will discuss the value of mHealth in patient access to care.
Posted by: C3O Telemedicine News
Posted on: May 11th, 2012
Hands On Telehealth Newsletter: A Smart Approach to Tele-ICU Design
An extraordinary telemedicine marketing and strategy newsletter has arrived under the direction of Nirav Desai. For a recent interview with Dr. Herb Rogove please visit the website and sign up for the Hands On Telehealth newsletter.
C3O Telemedicine announces new tele-stroke program in CA, a new company brand and website and an expanded telemedicine service offering to hospitals
Ojai, CA, April 24, 2012 – C3O Telemedicine (formerly C3O Medical Group) is pleased to announce a new telemedicine program to be established at Community Memorial Health System in Ventura, CA. C3O’s Acute Neurology Telemedicine Program is designed to improve access to specialists for stroke patients and other neurocritically ill patients across the community. It will be implemented within the coming months and provide Community Memorial’s patients with immediate connectivity to the expertise of highly skilled neurologists and neurointensivists.
Dr. Herb Rogove, President and CEO of C3O Telemedicine states” C3O is privileged to provide acute neurology care via telemedicine to Ventura’s premier healthcare organization. Community Memorial is committed to serving the neuroscience needs of individuals in Ventura and surrounding communities and we are excited to partner with them in this new program.” Bobbie McCaffrey, RN, MA, Vice President and Chief Nursing Office of Community Memorial responds “After evaluating multiple telemedicine providers, we confidently partnered with C3O Telemedicine due to their strong commitment to high quality care and the unique physician-focus and clinical leadership C3O is able to provide. Dr. Herb Rogove and his physician team provide a quality-focused solution that was custom tailored to meet our needs and to improve our patient’s access to specialty care when faced with an emergency”.
According to the National Stroke Association, stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and stroke-related healthcare costs total $73.7 billion. Expediting the presence of a skilled neurologist to the bedside to assess for the appropriateness of the lifesaving medication tPA can dramatically improve healthcare outcomes. Telemedicine technologies have been proven clinically and cost-effective methods for supplying this care and can often expedite the time in which a patient receives the care they need.
The news of C3O’s expanding telemedicine network comes at the same time the company is unveiling a new corporate name and brand, an expanded multi-specialty service offering of telemedicine services to hospitals, and the launch of its new, interactive website offering a wide range of telehealth-related articles and an online resources. Rogove explains, “The leadership team, ownership structure, and our commitment to quality care remains unchanged by the new look of the company. The new name “C3O Telemedicine” reflects the widening reach of telemedicine services we are providing to help hospitals and communities respond to a growing shortage of specialists. We believe that all patients, especially in times of acute illness, deserve immediate and excellent care and we have positioned our organization to make the highest impact possible.”
C3O Telemedicine and its physicians have been providing Tele-Stroke and Tele-Neurocritical Care services to California hospitals since 2009. This year service offerings to hospitals across the country are expanded to include Tele-Stroke, Neurocritical Care, Tele-Psychiatry, Critical Care and Tele-ICU, and other custom telemedicine coverage solutions. The new C3O Telemedicine website, along with its articles and resource center can be found at http://c3otelemedicine.com/ .
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About C3O Telemedicine
C3O Telemedicine is an innovative provider of virtual presence clinical coverage solutions to metropolitan and rural health facilities. As a physician owned and operated organization with renowned, board-certified specialists, C3O Telemedicine delivers flexible, easily implemented, and highly supported telemedicine services to its clients with exceptional clinical quality. C3O’s physicians and engaged physician-led management have developed programs at multiple facilities with demonstrated value through rapid response times, enhanced patient outcomes and prompt definitive care and discharges, with accompanying improvement in hospital financials.
Posted by: C3O Telemedicine News
Posted on: April 24th, 2012
C3O Telemedicine to Present at ATA International Symposium
The C3O Telemedicine team is speaking on “Unlocking the Complexities of Billing, Coding, and Lawful Reimbursement for Telemedicine Services” at ATA 2012, just one of the many exciting topics that will be covered at this year’s Annual Meeting. ATA 2012 is the world’s largest trade show focusing exclusively on telemedicine, telehealth, mHealth and cutting-edge remote healthcare technologies. With more than 200 exhibitors, 450 conference sessions and exciting keynotes, the place to be April 29 through May 1 is the San Jose Convention Center. Register today for a Conference Pass or a free Expo Only pass and we’ll see you there! http://www.ata2012.com
More Bad News About ICU Infections?
Despite the fact that the ICU team has been successful in decreasing ICU infections, the war is not over. In a recent presentation at the 22nd Annual Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease reveals that patients who have central lines or who are on mechanical ventilation have a four-fold increase in mortality compared to patients without these procedures. Patients with these Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI) were noted to have a length of stay in the ICU that doubled, from a mean of 8.1 days to 15.8 days. The financial impact is just as bad because patients with an HAI had an extra $14,000 in costs for their care to an already expensive ICU stay (average without an HAI ranging from $21,500-$37,500).
The message to be gained is that continued resources towards prevention combined with best practice bundles is of paramount importance. While this study reflects data collected in 2007, it does signal the need for a parallel prospective study to see if the preventative practices adapted nationally since 2007 have had even more of an effect. Adding tele-ICU resources can add another step to insure bundles, and compliance with them, are maintained. Another layer of intensivists and ICU nursing remotely through telemedicine support the commitment to infection control and bring more awareness to the onerous HAI.
IOM Report Values Telehealth for Natural Diasters
A report from the Institute Of Medicine stated a significant role for telehealth, including social media, for help during natural disasters.
Lawrence Gostin — chair of the IOM report committee and associate dean and a professor of global health law at Georgetown University Law Center — said that during a major disaster, “[h]ealth professionals can bring the best care to the most people by using a systems approach that involves thoughtful coordination among all stakeholders and good planning and coordination among all levels of government” (Preidt, HealthDay, 3/21).
Tenecteplase vs. Alteplase for Ischemic Stroke: Another Weapon for Tele-Stroke?
In the most recent edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (N Engl J Med 2012; 366:1099-1107), an Australian study revealed significantly better clinical outcomes and reperfusion with Tenecteplase than with Alteplase. The results showed better outcomes at both 24 hours and 90 days meaning less evidence of neurological disabilities. Currently, Alteplase is the only approved thrombolytic utilized. Just as important, there were no differences in complication rates such as intracranial hemorrhage. It is important to keep in mind that this study contained a small number of patients and that two doses of Tenecteplase were compared with the standard dose of Alteplase. With that in mind, the next step is a larger study comparing the more favorable larger does of Tenecteplase with the standard does of Alteplase. If the results of a subsequent study hold up to those of the current study, the use of Tenecteplase may replace Alteplase as the standard therapy for eligible ischemic stroke patients. One of the benefits of tele-stroke management has been an increase in utilization of life saving thrombolytics such as Alteplase and perhaps Tenectelplase.
Christina Thielst Appointed Vice President at Tower Consulting
Recently, Tower, a national consulting group focused on re-defining patient experiences across all touch points (physical and virtual), has announced the appointment of Christina Thielst, MHA, FACHE to the position of Vice President. Leveraging almost 30 years experience on the front lines of healthcare delivery as a hospital administrator and consultant, she will help guide large, complex healthcare institutions as they positively transform their patient experience – as perceived by the patient.
Christina is skilled at continually improving the systems and processes that impact the patient’s experience and this has lead to the development and implementation of effective business strategies and solutions in a variety of settings. Her success results from the creation of strong customer-oriented relationships and working collaboratively to re-design the processes that allow hospitals to keep pace with the evolving healthcare environment. She is committed to the delivery of safe, high quality, accessible, timely and compassionate care and ensures that appropriate governance structures are in place to sustain change.
She also understands how technology can enhance experiences and integrate seamlessly across the continuum of interactions. As a highly respected thought leader and published writer in the continually evolving field of health information technology and exchange, she envisions the application of new and emerging technologies that providers can leverage as solutions to patient care and workplace challenges. Links to most of her published work, including her book Social Media in Healthcare: Connect Communicate Collaborate can be found on her personal weblog. Reported by PressReleasePoint.
Christina is an integral member of the C3O Telemedicine Advisory Board and is excited that her tremendous skills and knowledge will complement the work done by Tower.
Tele-ICU Enhanced by Airstrips Ability to Provide Mobile Vital Signs
GE and AirStrip Technologies have announced that AirStrip PATIENT MONITORING, a tool that streams live patient data to iPads and iPhones of critical care physicians, is now available in the U.S.
The FDA approved system joins AirStrip CARDIOLOGY, the offering that transmits ECG data to iOS devices, as an available option for purchase through GE Healthcare.
Posted by: C3O Telemedicine News
Posted on: February 24th, 2012
Rogove Comments on Common Telemedicine Mistakes to Avoid
Kathleen Roney reported in Becker’s Hospital Review common mistakes to avoid in telemedicine. Dr. Herb Rogove of C3O Telemedicine believes that isolated decision making and lack of communication to the hospital staff are key issues that may cause a telemedicine program to fail. Additional mistakes include initiating too many programs, no trial runs and overlooking technological constraints.
Posted by: C3O Telemedicine News
Posted on: February 15th, 2012
