Telehealth Initiatives Highlight Several FQHCs in North Carolina

Several FQHCs in North Carolina will participate in a community-based telehealth network:

Over the next three years, approximately 400 Medicaid patients with heart failure or cardiovascular disease will monitor their weight fluctuations with the IDEAL LIFE Body Manager, a digital body weight scale and blood pressure device. The program provides timely intervention for individuals who have a sudden increase in body weight, which is associated with hospitalization for heart failure. Each blood pressure device and scale wirelessly and automatically sends readings to healthcare professionals who monitor the data and intervene if necessary by contacting the patient's primary care provider. This can help avoid a health crisis that might otherwise require a costly visit to the emergency room or re-hospitalization - a significant plus for those without close proximity to major medical centers.

"No other remote monitoring vendor could provide customized reports or integrate with our current EMR system, and that's what we needed to obtain future NC Medicaid reimbursement," said Bonnie Perry Britton, Telehealth Clinical Network Director/Development Director for North Carolina's Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center (RCCHC) in Ahoskie, NC. "The cost savings was a significant factor, too. IDEAL LIFE has definitely broken the price point glass ceiling."