Patient access, broadband connected, report says

Jun 16 2008

Adoption of health information technology will help patients gain access to care; however, roadblocks such as the costs and expertise required to buy and operate the technology are making adoption in medical settings slower than desired. Further challenging some regions of Pennsylvania is limited access or affordable pricing for true high-speed broadband telecommunication networks to connect health care professionals.

According to the ConnectTheDocs study the unique challenges presented by Pennsylvania's large rural geography, as well as its aged population, test the future of health care access and delivery in the commonwealth. But, the study suggests that connecting doctors electronically through hi-tech communications tools, such as telemedicine, could help alleviate that problem.

"The health care community in Pennsylvania must find ways to accelerate the use of technology, especially in rural areas of the state, to meet an increasing need for such care by an aging population," said Peter Lund, MD, president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society and founder of its Institute for Good Medicine.

Access to medical specialists in many rural Pennsylvania communities is difficult, says the recently released report. For example, due to the large geographic challenge of the Keystone State, more than 3 million Pennsylvanians are located more than 25 miles as the crow flies from the nearest Pennsylvania-based high-risk pregnancy specialist. Travel times in those locations can be lengthy, making a complicated pregnancy an ordeal for the patient and possibly risking the lives of both the mother and child.

In addition, Pennsylvania is ranked 37th in the nation for actively practicing physicians per 10,000 elderly citizens. According to this report, the concentration of elderly citizens is greater in the rural areas of the state. The rural elderly who have to travel long distances to specialists may be less likely to seek treatment, even for potentially life-threatening conditions. Making telemedicine available in rural communities would give patients and their local physicians computerized access to consultations with specialists - such as radiologists, dermatologists, and cardiologists - without having to drive long distances.

For physicians, better telecommunications connectivity means they can effectively use new tools that improve the efficiency of their practice. Such tools include electronic prescribing, consulting electronically with specialists on radiology and other diagnostic tests, and communicating more quickly and efficiently with hospitals.

Patients whose physicians use these electronic tools benefit directly through decreased prescription errors, more timely access to records, and, ultimately, reduction in duplicate testing.

"Clearly, investments in communications technology within health care would ultimately help Pennsylvanians gain better access to medical care," said Lund. "This is particularly true for rural communities, but even urban locations will benefit to the extent that improved connectivity makes it easier for physicians to access critical health information about their patients."

Regarding physicians, while 96 percent have Internet access, only 25.6 percent use a T-1 line, which is a type of broadband Internet access often necessary for reliable connectivity depending on the application and usage at the specific practice site. Of those physicians already connected to the Internet, only 9.4 percent utilize technology for telemedicine (use of telecommunications technology for medical diagnosis and patient care when the physician and patient are separated by distance). And, 19.7 percent currently use an electronic medical records system. Of those with electronic medical records systems, the most common use of the technology is to view lab and radiology results as well as record a patient's medical history.

In addition, 1 percent of those surveyed do not have access to even the most basic broadband service to power electronic medical records and other health information technology since they practice outside known service areas.

The report studied both physician practices and hospitals. All hospitals completing the survey indicated that they do have Internet access. The amount of Internet purchased through a main circuit varies, but 56 percent of hospitals purchase less than 20 Mbps - insufficient for many HIT applications.

The ConnectTheDocs survey, a project led by the Pennsylvania Medical Society, was funded by a grant from the Broadband and Outreach Aggregation Fund (BOAF) through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Affinity Technology Consultants was a valuable resource to the Medical Society throughout this phase of the ConnectTheDocs initiative.

The Pennsylvania Medical Society has been working to enhance the patient-doctor relationship since 1848. To learn more about the Pennsylvania Medical Society, visit its Web site at www.pamedsoc.org, or to learn about Pennsylvania-specific health issues, visit the Medical Society's consumer Web site at www.myfamilywellness.org.

Affinity Technology Consultants is a Harrisburg, Pa.-based consulting company providing technology and telecommunications procurement, implementation, organization, and policy strategy. More information can be found at www.affinitytc.com.