We communicate immediately
through texts, email and smart-
phones, and can look up information
in an instant online. Life has become
all about convenience. Now, tele-
medicine is providing an easier
way to see a doctor. More than half
of all U.S. hospitals now use some
form of telemedicine, including
Wilcox Medical Center.
“There's so much that goes into seeing a specialist who's on
another island or even the mainland,” Wilcox Chief of Staff,
Dr. Amy Corliss said. “You have to get a plane, you have to
have a car, you have to pay for everything you need while
you're there, and it's time away from your family, your job and
everything else you need to do. Being able to see a doctor by
using technological devices makes it that much more conve-
nient, that much less expensive and really provides the same
level of quality of care.”
Remote health care technology has already made a significant
impact for Wilcox patients, especially for diabetics being
treated for nephrology, also known as kidney disease. More
than 100 nephrology visits have been done at the medical
center via telemedicine.
Connecting remotely has also proven helpful for pediatric
patients recovering from surgery. Caden Brassington of
Kapa‘a appeared to have developed “sunken chest,” or
pectus excavatum, a condition where the breastbone sinks
into the torso and can impede the lungs or heart. The teenag-
er had surgery to insert a metal bar into his chest at Kapi‘olani
Medical Center for Women & Children. His recovery went well,
but the visits back and forth from Kaua‘i to O‘ahu were costly
and time-consuming for his family. His mother, Andrea, agreed
to video conferencing for follow-ups and was surprised by
the amount of personal care that could be delivered through
a screen.
“I was realizing when we were sitting there, [the specialist] still
had that caring doctor’s tone,” she said. “It felt definitely close
enough that it wasn't like we were, you know, miles away. It felt
really personal, just like a checkup. He even was able to do
the medical part of it and really look at Caden to see that his
incisions were OK. It really worked out amazing for us and it
was nice to know that we didn't have to do the plane ride, get
the car and/or stay overnight.”
WHILE THE ON-SCREEN VISIT IS A SIMPLE
PROCESS, the software and technical standards behind
it are very complex. Telemedicine relies on major infrastruc-
ture that provides secure networks so providers can use the
internet and wireless, satellite and telephone media to reach
patients without compromising their privacy.
“People ask all the time ‘Why can't I just use my phone and
FaceTime?’” Dr. Corliss said. “While that's technically possible
for social reasons, it's not really possible in health care. There
are a lot of discussions that happen that you really want to
make sure are kept in a way that nobody else can access.
That takes a lot of support. It takes a secure and fast network
that will allow a video conference that doesn't get interrupted
or lag.”
Many agree telemedicine must be a trusted and reliable
resource. There is also a lot of excitement for the opportuni-
ties it will bring for future care on Kaua‘i.
INSPIRE
|
FA L L 2 0 1 8
19