Idaho Telehealth Taskforce

AHEC Project Center Director: Lynda Bennett, MAJuly 10, 2013 Presentation to Idaho Rural Partnership

The acronym “AHEC” stands for Area Health Education Center. In 1971, Congress established the AHEC program to build a healthcare workforce dedicated to medically disadvantaged populations. The nationwide system of Area Health Education Centers was established to improve the supply, distribution, diversity and quality of the health work force, and increase access to health care in rural and medically underserved areas.

What the heck is AHEC?

Connecting students to careers,

professionals to communities,

and communities to better health.

Meeting the health care needs of rural communities through stakeholder partnerships

AHEC ADVISORY BOARDCHAIR:Russ DukeCentral District Health

VICE-CHAIRTed Epperly, MDFamily Medical Residency of Idaho (FMRI)

Suzanne Allen, MDUW WWAMI

Mary Baranaga, MDUW WWAMI

Tim Dunnagan, Ed.D. BSU – Dean Health Sciences

Katrina HoffIdaho Primary Care Assoc.

Bessie Katsilometes PhDISU – Dean Academic ProgramsMeridian Health Science Center

Steve Schnieder, MDHealthwise

Priscilla Salant, MSUniversity of IdahoDir. Community Partnerships

Devin Lakey4th yr Medical Student

Carol Taylor, MSWAbove and Beyond Consulting

Carolyn CorbettMSN, MBA, RN, PMHNP-BCPsychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Birth of the Telehealth Taskforce

In March 2013 Representative John Rusche convened a group from all

around the state to ask four key questions:

What is the current status of Telehealth in Idaho?

What are the needs for Telehealth in Idaho?

What are our assets?

What are the barriers?

. Idaho has fewer physicians per capita than almost every other state in the U.S (ranking 49th) (O’Leary and Morgan. 2011). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2010, Idaho had approximately 117 physicians per 100,000 people compared to a U.S. average of 192 physicians/100,000 population (HRSA).

Our state ranked last in terms of the number of psychiatrists with just 5 /100,000 population compared to a U.S. average of 13/100,000 (O’Leary and Morgan. 2011). Similar shortages have been noted for psychologists and social workers. We are 2nd in the nation in terms of the proportion of our citizens who lack access to mental health care, with 61.5% of the Idaho population having no access compared to a national rate of 19.8% (O’Leary and Morgan. 2011). The entire state of Idaho is designated as Health Professions Shortage Area (HPSA) for Mental Health Services (Idaho Office of Rural Health and Primary Care. 2012).

TELEHEALTH TASKFORCE: Extending reach by coordinated partnership

St. Luke’s, St. Alphonsus, The Hospital Cooperative, Qualis Health, Idaho Health Data Exchange, ISU, Boise State, North Idaho College, Shoshone Medical Center, Family Medical Residency of Idaho (FMRI), VA Medical Center, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, Kootenai Medical Center, Idaho Telecom Alliance, DHW Behavioral Health, Idaho Hospital Association, Southwest Idaho Community Health Network, Idaho Insurance Exchange, The Core, Behavior Imagining Solutions, Stargazers LLC, Syringa Networks, Institute of Rural Health, St. Mary’s & Clearwater Valley…and many more!

Partners on the Taskforce:

Roster (By Group): http://sdrv.ms/11tnv36Contact List (Alphabetical): http://sdrv.ms/17gwdJN

MASTER LINK: http://sdrv.ms/157ia2e

TELEHEALTH TASKFORCE

Telehealth Taskforce

Sustainable support for coordination

Champions in each region of Idaho

Partners ready to roll up their sleeves and share the load

What we need:

Busting the Chicken Wire Theory

Lynda Bennett , MAIdaho Area Health Education CenterProject Director1607 W. Jefferson St.Boise, ID 83702(208) 336-5533 ex 253lbennett@mtnstatesgroup.org

http://www.idahoahec.org/

Contact Information: