Virginia Telehealth Network Recognition Awards

Virginia Telehealth Network Recognition Awards

The Virginia Telehealth Network introduced a new initiative - the establishment of the Virginia Telehealth Network Awards Program. 

The Virginia Telehealth Network recognized and thanked individuals and/or organizations for making significant contributions to rural communities by improving access to quality, affordable and accessible health care through the use of telehealth. 

These awards were presented at the 2011 Virginia Telehealth Summit on April 5, 2011.  All recipients will be recognized on the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, Virginia's State Rural Health Plan Web site as well as the Virginia Telehealth Network website.

Virginia Telehealth Network Individual Award for Distinguished Service

Recipients:

Vladimir Lavrentyev, MD, MBA, Telemedicine Program Coordinator, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System

Information from the nomination letter:

Vladimir Lavrentyev, MD, MBA is program coordinator in the telemedicine center within Virginia Commonwealth University’s Health System (VCUHS). Vladimir Lavrentyev is a native of Moscow, Russia and graduated from the Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry with an MD degree. He trained in surgery at Moscow District Hospital in Moscow. Vladimir also completed an Executive Master’s in Business Administration at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Business. He initiated his pursued research programs in telemedicine under the mentorship of Dr. Ronald Merrell Medical Informatics and Technology Applications Consortium (MITAC) at VCU.

Vladimir Lavrentyev is a member of American Telemedicine Association. He has a 20-year history of volunteer and academic work in the arena of telemedicine over 6 countries and has voluntarily consulted with numerous rural medical communities throughout Virginia. Vladimir's list of telemedicine programs supported by his volunteer work can be exhaustive including both domestic and international efforts. For example, he provided subject matter expertise for an Outpatient Telemedicine clinic at Bay Rivers Telehealth Alliance in Tappahannock; assisted in designing logistics setting up of telemedicine service at the Family Maternity Center of Northern Neck; and designed and implemented an Intensivists consult service via Telemedicine to ICU in South Hill Community Memorial Health Center in South Hill. In summary, only a few of the most recent efforts supported by Vladimir are detailed to exemplify his commitment and relentless drive to promote telemedicine and benefits to rural health care."

Eugene Sullivan, Program Manager, Office of Telemedicine, University of Virginia

Excerpts from the nomination letter:

"Long before telehealth was an emerging resource in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Gene Sullivan was busy running cable through ceilings, testing prototype technology and building the infrastructure for what would become a robust telehealth network. Drawing upon his systems’ management background from USC and his distinguished service in the US Army, Lt. Col. Sullivan came to the University of Virginia in 1994 to generate ideas, test applications and stimulate a nascent capability to provide specialty medical care and education to remote communities. It was then he met his professional partner, Dr Karen Rheuban, and a remarkable synergy was born. The results have been extraordinary.

By 1995, Gene was director of a new Office of Telemedicine, a pediatric cardiology program was up and running, partners in Appalachian far Southwest Virginia were established and emerging telemedicine programs in dermatology and psychiatry were started. It can never be overstated the incredible vision, hard work and patience this required. Gene got in his car, travelled the state, built partnerships, wrote grants, shaped policy and helped secure the commitment of the UVA Health System leadership to move the program forward. Before long, clinical encounters were common, a network of sites emerged and resources were starting to flow. This year, the program that Gene helped pioneer, crossed the 22,000 patient encounters mark and six million miles saved. In addition, the 85th partner site signed on."

Virginia Telehealth Network Award for Outstanding Contribution

Recipients:

Bay Rivers Telehealth Alliance(Click here to access the Web site)

Excerpts from the nomination letter:

"Significant Achievements – Bay Rivers Telehealth Alliance

2009-2010Awarded $215,199 federal grant in January 2011- one of 45 U.S. telemedicine projects funded as part of the USDA-DLT program’s $34.7 million to expand access to health care.

[The] Director identified funding sources; secured contribution from a [video conferencing vendor] ; engaged 5 providers and 1 vendor as partners to include matching investments of $284,300; develop the program and telecommunications plans to support a persuasive case for funding; and wrote the competitive grant proposal.Twenty-three (23) new clinical telemedicine sites, with supporting infrastructure (secure gateways, firewall transversal, mobile support, and multi-point bridge) will be established.  These will enable physicians to support expanded rural patient care throughout the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula, Eastern Shore, Hampton Roads, and surrounding areas.  The new capabilities include telestroke, high-risk obstetrics, child and family telemental health, and distant consulting by specialists from major health systems on patient cases in rural ER/ICUs, and at rural outpatient clinics in Tappahannock and Tangier Island.

Strategic Plan: Led process to develop network’s strategic plan, resulting in a) refined mission and vision for network’s future, b) adoption of projects to address emerging telemedicine opportunities, and  c) expanded service area, eastward through Hampton Roads/Peninsula and Eastern Shore of Virginia.  The 9-month project involved multiple interviews and targeted communications with key stakeholders to raise their awareness of benefits of telehealth to their practices, and to confirm value to each of a facilitated network, laying the foundation for implementing a membership structure core network services.

Launched “Bridges to Health” in May 2009 – an outpatient telemedicine services and community telehealth education project, that targets diabetes, dementia, and other chronic diseases of older adults residing in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula."

Southwest Virginia Community Health System, Inc. (Click here to access Web site)

Saltville, VA, downtown, home of the main office of SVCHS and the Saltville clinic.

Excerpts from the nomination letter:

"Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems, Inc. (SVCHS) has been involved with the University of Virginia (UVA) Telemedicine Program since 2001. This has been under the direction of Sally Penning, FNP at our Saltville Medical Center site. SVCHS currently has telemedicine equipment and capabilities at all of our medical sites. We have been told that our Saltville site is one of the highest utilized sites in the UVA Telemedicine Network. In 2010 we had 139 patients served through UVA Telemedicine services. This provides us a link to 25 separate specialties through the UVA Telemedicine Network. They accept all our referrals, including the indigent and uninsured. Too often this is the only source of specialty care for these patients. Local specialty providers that accept our insured and self pay patients often require payment for their first visit up front. This is usually in excess of $300 and is out of reach of many of the uninsured, but even some of the low income families with high deductible insurance plans. Our federal grant through HRSA covers the primary care services, but does little to address access to specialty care. Often physicians in community health centers feel isolated and alone. Many perform services and procedures that are over their head and not in line with their training as a family practice physician. This is a risk issue for the patient, the physician, and the practice. The physician knows this is the only source of care this patient will receive and if they do not provide it the patient will go with out the specialty care they need."

"SVCHS has been recognized statewide as a model for our integrated behavioral health model in a primary care setting. This is for both mental health and substance abuse patients. The focus is on brief intervention with problem solving and coping skills for patients with depression. Studies have shown the level of depression is improved through this brief intervention. This has been demonstrated through Beck Scores and pre and post PHQ-9 survey assessments. SVCHS is also a participant in the SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral, and Treatment) Program that is sponsored through SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). This program incorporates four or five questions on alcohol and drug use in the medical patient’s workup. Depending on a positive or negative score, a more formal survey might be completed by the behavioral health provider. In Virginia Medicaid will pay for same day service for a medical and behavioral health visit. We would also get paid for the substance abuse assessment. There are separate CPT codes for the substance abuse screenings. We use the Cage II survey. Some of our sites are too small for a full-time behavioral health provider. We can use our telemedicine link to connect with the behavioral health providers at our Saltville, Bristol, Tazewell, or Meadowview sites. In 2010 the Virginia General Assemble mandated coverage for telemedicine visits, so these interactive visits would be billed and covered by those with insurance coverage."

Agenda for Tuesday, April 5, 2011:

7:30-8:15 Continental Breakfast and Check-In

8:15-8:30 Welcome and Overview

Karen Rheuban, M.D., President and Chairman, Virginia Telehealth Network

8:30-9:00 Results of the Virginia Healthcare Broadband, HIT and Telehealth Survey

Karen Jackson, Deputy Secretary of Technology, Commonwealth of Virginia

9:00-9:45 Building Sustainable Programs: Reimbursement and Models

Kevin L. Barger, CEBS, FAHM, CPC Network Management Director, Provider Engagement and Contracting, Central Virginia, Anthem

Gregg A. Pane, MD, MPA, Director, Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services

David Cattell-Gordon, MSW, Director, Office of Telemedicine, University of Virginia

9:45-10:30 Break – visit exhibits

10:30-11:30 Funding of Telehealth

Sherilyn Pruitt, Director, Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, Office of Rural Health Policy, HRSA

Eugene Sullivan, Program Manager, Office of Telemedicine, University of Virginia

Ellen Matthews Davis, Virginia State Director Rural Development U.S. Department of Agriculture

Paloma Costa, Program Manager of Outreach, Rural Health Care, Universal
Service Administrative Company

11:30-12:15 Telehealth – Legal and Regulatory Issues

Gary Capistrant, Senior Director, Public Policy, American Telemedicine Association

Brian W. Murray, Attorney with Latham & Watkins, LLP, Washington, D.C.

Greg Billings, Executive Director for Center for Telehealth and e-Health Law and Senior Government Relations Director, Drinker, Biddle & Reath

Rene Quashie, Center for Telehealth and e-Health Law Regulatory Attorney and Drinker, Biddle & Reath Government Relations Director/Regulatory Attorney

12:15-1:30 Lunch - View From the North

Edward Brown M.D., CEO Ontario Telemedicine Network, Ontario, Canada

1:30-2:15 HIE, HIT and Meaningful Use

Michael Matthews, CEO, MedVirginia

Sallie S. Cook, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, VHQC/Virginia HIT Regional Extension Center

2:15-3:00 Virginia Health Reform Initiative – Technology, Joint Commission Response

Karen Rheuban, M.D., Office of Telemedicine, University of Virginia

Stephen Bowman, Senior Staff Attorney/Methodologist, Joint Commission on Health Care

3:00-3:30 Break - Visit Exhibits
 
3:30-4:30 Two Concurrent Sessions: Telemental Health and mHealth/Social Media

Jim B. Tucker, M.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia

Adrienne Turner, M.D., Fellow in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Virginia Health System

Felasfa Wodajo, M.D., Medical Director of Musculoskeletal Oncology at Virginia Hospital Center in Northern Virginia. Dr. Wodajo is also senior editor and partner of the online: iMedicalApps: Mobile Medical App Reviews & Commentary.

Mark H. Ryan, M.D., Department of Family Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. Dr. Ryan is also a member of the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media Advisory Board.

4:30 Wrap-Up

Kathy H. Wibberly, Ph.D., Director, Division of Primary Care and Rural Health, VDH Office of Minority Health and Health Equity