University Of Rochester Medical Center Receives HANYS' 2009 Community Health Improvement Award

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 26 Jun 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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The Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) presented its 2009 Community Health Improvement Award to University of Rochester Medical Center for its Health-e- Access (HeA) Telemedicine Network.

HANYS established the Community Health Improvement Award in 1997 to recognize outstanding initiatives that improve community health and well-being. The award is presented to facilities and programs that target specific community health issues, demonstrate leadership, collaborate, create partnerships among diverse groups, and achieve quantifiable results.

The HeA program has provided telemedicine care and service to children in 23 sites including childcare programs, elementary schools, and a program for severely developmentally disabled children.

To date, more than 7,000 telemedicine visits have taken place among children in child-care centers and schools. Ten different physician practices are participating in this initiative, including more than 50 clinicians. 96% of telemedicine visits were successfully completed at the child site, and did not require a follow-up referral to a primary care practice or emergency department. In city child-care centers, absence due to illness dropped by 63% following the introduction of Health-e-Access. In a six-year study, emergency department use was 22% less for children with telemedicine access.

Source
Healthcare Association of New York State