Saluda Medical Center (SMC) supporters and staff are looking to technology to more closely connect underinsured patients with doctors.
The telemedicine project could connect individuals with specialty doctors without the need to schedule new appointments – the entire consultation could be conducted via the Internet. All the center needs are laptops and web cameras.
“It’s the wave of the future,” said SMC Administrator Amy Copeland. “It’s been a really big push in mental health because of the shortage of mental health doctors in many areas. We’re just hoping to bring it to primary care.”
The telemedicine project aims to link patients that come into SMC with specialty care needs.
“This saves the patient more time off work, fuel costs and more,” Copeland said. “That’s incredibly important for many of our patients who wouldn’t always make it to those additional appointments.”
The idea to pursue this project all came about, Copeland said, when SMC supporter Don Mintz met a man named Ed Spencer who was carrying out a similar program in South Carolina.
There doctors have provided 8,000 consultations in 30 months.
“It’s been very successful nationally and we’ve gone statewide here in South Carolina,” Spencer said. “What we’re trying to do is increase access to good medical care. This works especially well in treatment of cardiac problems, as well as issues resulting from diabetes in elderly and small children.”
Working with an individual doctor you are required to contract with that doctor, which can get pricey, Spencer said. But a feeder clinic or referring clinic to a hospital is provided consultations or assessments free of charge.
“This saves the emergency department money, provides Copeland and her staff ready access to medical expertise and offers the patient excellent medical care,” Spencer said.
Phase one of the program would put three video units into place – one at SMC, one at Foothills Medical Clinic and one at Pardee Hospital, the first partnering hospital.
In phase two, Spencer said organizers are looking at three more clinics working with Pardee and perhaps St. Luke’s Hospital. Spencer said the group would like to have three phases with up to 12 medical centers and three hospitals.
Saluda Medical Center plans to host an event known as “The Saluda Essence of Fall” Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m. to help raise funds.
This “tablescape” event offers a chance for those interested to show off their decorating skills by purchasing a table to decorate with fall themes. Participants are invited to bring their own place settings, plus a centerpiece to be auctioned off. Prizes will be given for the best decorated tables. Those hosting a table will be allotted specific decorating times. An additional table setting donated by Pier 1 Imports of Hendersonville will also be auctioned.
Anyone interested in attending the fundraising event can call Kathie Mixon at 828-749-3651 or Linda Whitaker at 828-749-5121 to purchase a table and get details.
A fundraising event for the general operation of the medical center will be held Friday, Oct. 28. The fourth-annual Masquerade Ball will be held at 6:30 p.m. with Jack Roper performing his magic act, costume contest and karaoke.