The Guardian-Journal, 11/22/07, JIMMY DEAN, Feature Writer

Homer Memorial Hospital is one of seven rural hospitals in North Louisiana that will benefit from a $13 million state program providing electronic medical records and telemedicine consultation with physicians at Louisiana State University Health Science Center (LSU-HSC) in Shreveport. The other six hospitals are Bunkie General Hospital, Bunkie; DeSoto Regional Hospital, Mansfield; Hardtner Medical Center, Olla; LaSalle General Hospital, Jena; Richland Parish Hospital, Delhi; and Union General Hospital, Farmerville.

The North Louisiana LSU-HSC/Rural Hospital Medical Home Network is a pilot designed to help participating hospitals with electronic medical records, financial systems, and clinical information systems.

The project will allow, for example, LSUHSC physicians to view x-rays taken at Homer Memorial Hospital by means of remote telecommunications. They can advise local health professionals in such areas as diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.
Several benefits accrue to participating hospitals and local residents. Most important, patient care improves with the use of electronic medical records instead of traditional paper records. Electronic medical records improves the ability to track, trend, and access patient records. It has improved patient care elsewhere and will be available to local patients by next summer.

Another benefit is the availability of LSUHSC consultants through telemedicine. The project could potentially relieve patients of long trips to Shreveport. A round-trip from participating areas takes several hours plus the cost of fuel, a major consideration now with gas prices increasing. Many low-income folks don’t have reliable transportation for such trips not to mention the physical strain on a sick person. Telemedicine is a growing reality in rural areas, and this project will provide the technology necessary to make it a reality at Homer Memorial Hospital.

The project can help rural hospitals save money on patient care and prescription drugs. In addition, common access to imaging studies, such as X-rays and CT scans, and to lab work will allow LSUHSC to avoid duplicating medical tests and procedures already performed by Homer Memorial.

During the first year of the five-year project, LSUHSC will get just over $2 million to upgrade or add equipment for telemedicine. “Telemedicine” uses audio, video, and other telecommunications and electronic technologies to provide health services or assist health care personnel at distant sites.

Dr. John McDonald, chancellor of LSUHSC, noted, “My thought was if a patient came to their [rural] hospital, with, say, substantial pneumonia or out-of control-diabetes, they could consult with someone here who is an expert in that.” McDonald went on to point out that the local physician and the LSUHSC consulting physician could decide with the patient’s own doctor on the best treatment, and the patient could remain in his home community. Specialists at LSUHSC could also continue monitoring cases by means of telemedicine.

In rural communities like Claiborne Parish, doctors don’t always have the option of consulting a specialist who can say whether the patient can be treated at the rural hospital or needs to be sent to Shreveport. As a result, cases may be unnecessarily referred a substantial expense for the patient, for the rural hospital, and for LSUHSC.
The new system will allow specialists at LSUHSC to see the patient, review his medical file, and even use cameras to examine his throat.

Doug Efferson of Homer Memorial Hospital said, “We can move into the 21st century without financially strapping the hospital. Moving from paper to digital records is expensive, and it would have been hard for us to make the switch without help.” Efferson went on, “The new technology should help improve efficiency and lower costs.”

He added that Homer Memorial is preparing to let bids for the new systems that will provide the basis for telemedicine. Although the new equipment will belong to Homer Memorial, the Louisiana Rural Hospital Coalition is encouraging members to negotiate a group purchasing deal. The number of technology providers for small hospitals is markedly less than for larger facilities. There may be only five bidders in the small hospital market, hence, the advantage of joining the coalition.

Within a year Homer Memorial will get a point-to-point T1 line to LSUHSC. Efferson said, “We will also get the latest telemedicine/distance-learning system. It will include such technology as a digital stethoscope and either a big projection screen or a 42-inch plasma monitor for medical imaging.”

Initially, rural physicians will confer only with LSUHSC specialists; however, in time all physicians within the network will be able to consult with one another.