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Box Butte General Hospital partners with HealthONE to provide telemedicine neurology and psychiatry services

Alliance, NE – HealthONE’s HealthONE Virtual Network (H1VN) is now providing telemedicine stroke-neurology, acute- neurology, and psychiatry services to Box Butte General Hospital. The H1VN telemedicine program is an innovative system that uses technology to bring the best stroke, neurology, and psychiatry care to Nebraska.

“Every second counts in minimizing the damage a stroke can cause to the brain – quick assessment and personalized care are key,” says Dr. Chris Fanale, who developed the H1VN Tele-Stroke Program. “Having this state-of-the-art telemedicine program puts the stroke specialist instantly in the room with a patient and ER physician. As a stroke neurologist, I can have a conversation with the patient and family, examine the patient’s ability to move and speak, and even zoom in to assess pupil reactivity. We can talk to EMS and ER staff, and assess monitors and vital signs immediately. There is no other system in the region that is currently offering this level of care to stroke victims.”

“Tele-psychiatry is equally as effective as face-to-face visits and allows us to offer high-quality psychiatric services round the clock regardless of where the facility is located,” explains Dr. Michelle DeNault, Tele-Psychiatry Executive Medical Director. “We have a core team of employed physicians who deliver timely, accurate, and complete psychiatric assessments and treatments, and work collaboratively with the hospital treatment team to effectively treat patients, reduce wait times and inappropriate commitments, and improve compliance.”

H1VN allows for a neurologist or psychiatrist to be linked via telemedicine cart to emergencyphysicians and providers at Box Butte General Hospital. By utilizing the H1VN technology, Box Butte General Hospital will be instantly connected to a stroke-trained neurologist or psychiatrist. The system allows patients suffering from neurological events, stroke-like conditions, or behavioral health episodes to be examined and diagnosed, while the patient is still in Alliance.

The telemedicine technology utilizes a mobile cart with an onboard computer, monitor, high-resolution camera and microphone to simultaneously transmit the audio and video portions of a physician consult. Patient medical records, including radiology scans, can be accessed. The patient, local physician/provider and the neurologist/psychiatrist can conduct online consults anywhere there is an internet connection.

“We are excited to be on the cutting edge of technology to provide the greatest, most up-to-date care to our psychiatry and stroke patients, said Lori Mazanec,” Box Butte General Hospital CEO. “The HealthONE Telemedicine Network will allow us to get quick access to specialty consultations when the response time for the patient is so vital. This continues the great things and great care happening locally, allowing patients to stay close to home.”

 

                                                

A stroke occurs when a clot blocks blood flow to the brain or when an artery in the brain ruptures, resulting in uncontrolled bleeding. Brain cells critically depend on a consistent flow of oxygen and glucose rich blood. When this flow is interrupted by a stroke, brain cells begin to die. Because our body cannot replicate nerve cells, strokes can lead to permanent brain damage and disability. The negative effects of stroke depend upon which part of the brain the stroke occurs in. Therefore, strokes produce a wide array of symptoms, including paralysis, inability to speak, memory loss, and loss of cognitive ability.

A need for mental health assistance may present in a variety of ways, through emergencymedicine or inpatient care. Rapid evaluations can be requested to provide psychiatric medication recommendations, short term and long- t e rm treatment recommendations, and full psychiatric evaluations with diagnosis.

Telemedicine is used across the country for consults in a variety of medical specialties, including stroke, mental health, trauma care, burns, pediatric care, pharmacy, chronic care management, andmany other areas. Its potential is vast, and has become an accepted practice in a growing number of remote communities. Telemedicine is a significant and rapidly growing component of healthcare in the United States.

About HealthONE

HealthONE, as part of the HCA Healthcare Continental Division, was named the top health system in the state by IBM Watson Health and our system wasnamed one of the top five large health systems in the country. HealthONE and HCA Healthcare have also been named 11 consecutive times by Ethisphere as a World’s Most Ethical Company. HealthONE is the largest healthcare system in the metro Denver area with more than 11,000 employees. As part of the HealthONE system of care, The Medical Center of Aurora, Centennial Hospital, North Suburban Medical Center, Presbyterian/St.

Luke’s Medical Center, Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, Rose Medical Center, Sky Ridge Medical Center, Swedish Medical Center, and Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital work together to provide a higher level of care. In addition, our family of services includes several hospital free-standing emergency departments and numerous ambulatory surgery centers, CareNow urgent care and occupational medicine clinics, physician practices, imaging centers, and AIRLIFE- DENVER, which provides critical care air and ground transportation across a seven-state region. Consistently among the Denver Business Journals’ list of top ten corporate philanthropists in the Denver-metro area, HealthONE provided

$66M in uncompensated care, contributedmore than $650,000 and supports over 150 organizations through cash and in-kind donations last year alone.

To learn more about the HealthONE family, go to HealthONECares.com.

About Box Butte General Hospital

Box Butte General Hospital (BBGH) is the successor of St. Joseph Hospital, taking over the mission of serving the health care needs of Box Butte County and the surrounding area in 1976. The hospital is a non-profit facility, dedicated to serving the needs of residents and visitors alike. Box Butte General Hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission, the nation's predominant standards-setting and accrediting body in health care since 1951. Since 1976, Box Butte General Hospital has led in the innovation of healthcare delivery and community wellness. From providing services such as family medicine to gastroenterology, being the greatest place to receive care, work, and practice medicine is at the forefront of what the organization does.

Box Butte General Hospital is a Critical Access Hospital with 25-beds for all patient types - acute, observation, swing, intensive care, with a staff of over 275 employees providing a variety of services.