1. Telehealth In the State and
Region and at Essentia
Health
Blandin Foundation Conference
November 13 -14, 2012
Maureen Ideker, MBA, BSN, RN
Director of Telehealth

3. EssentiaTelehealth
Development and Growth
•Plan to include all clinics, hospitals and
long term care sites within Essentia and
begin outreach to affiliates.
•Growth thru Hub and Spoke
Development.
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4. • Broadband infrastructure – enables
information flow
• Monitoring and communication devices
used by patients/providers
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5. • Interactive video
• Tele-robotics
• Virtual-reality technology
• iPhone
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6. Business Plans For FY 2012 at
Essentia
• Emergency Services
• Hospitalist
• Psychiatry
• CHF
• Dermatology

7. Business Plans For FY 2013 at
Essentia
• Nephrology
• Wound Care
• Diabetic Care (Dietician, Pharmacist)
• Medical Weight Loss
• Stroke Care
• LongTerm Care

8. Traditional Benefits of
Telehealth
(Patient-Centered)
• Access to specialty care
• Stretch provider resources
• Keep patients in rural facilities
• Save travel time
• Save transport (LTC, jail health)
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9. Future Benefits
(Economy-Centered)
• Pay for performance
• Decrease costs/improve outcomes
• Provider interest
• Demographics
• Maintaining elderly at home
• Government incentives (Stimulus Funding)
• Improved technology/connection
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10. Eligible Sites - CMS
• Physician/Practitioner Office
• Critical Access Hospital (CAH)
• Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC)
• Hospital
• Rural Health Clinic
• Hospital-based or CAH-based Renal Dialysis
Center (including satellites)
• Skilled Nursing Facility
• Community Mental Health Center
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11. Medicare
Reimbursement
• Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA)
• Non-MSA county
• Must be live, interactive services
• Patient must receive service in an eligible rural
site (Hospital, Clinic, etc.)
• Provider payment is the same as for an in-
person visit
• A facility fee is paid to remote sites
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12. Eligible Providers
• CMS has identified these:
– Physician (MD/DO)
– Nurse Practitioner
– Physician Assistant
– Nurse Midwife
– Clinical nurse specialist
– Clinical psychologist
– Clinical social worker
– Registered dietician/nutrition professional
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13. Reducing hospital stays thru
Telehome Monitoring.
Research Shows………
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14. University of Minnesota
MN Telehealth Network Research
1998 – TeleHome monitoring
N = 150
(CHF, Diabetes, COPD)

15. TeleHome monitoring
(CHF Example)
Daily recording of
- Weight
- Blood Pressure
- Pulse
- Oxygen Saturation
- Spirometry
- Daily Diary Log
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16. Patient Outcomes:
Admissions to a higher level of
care
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17. Win-Win Situation for Rural
and Urban Sites
• Facility Fee
• X-rays, scans
• Labs
• Rehab PT/OT
• Home Health Care
• Swing Beds
• Surgeries
• Specialist fees paid same as face-to face
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18. Maureen Ideker, MBA, BSN, RN
maureen.ideker@essentiahealth.org
320-748-8239