Rural medical center speeds up diagnosis time, cuts the number of patient transfers by 50% with HD video
Adena Health System has put Lifesize high definition video communications solutions to work linking neonatal patients in rural Ohio with pediatric specialists in Columbus. In its first year of use, the number of newborns transferred from Adena’s hospital in Chillicothe to the neonatal specialists at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus was cut in half – from 140 to 70 – improving patient care, cutting costs and sparing mothers, infants and their families of the burden of traveling to a specialist.
Using Lifesize HD video conferencing systems on a high-speed network, medical specialists can remotely examine tiny fingers and toes and hear every cough in crisp, crystal clear HD. Digital lab tests and imaging films are also shared between locations and doctors are able to consult with one another as if they were all standing in the same room.
“It’s incredible,” said Marcus Bost, CIO of Adena Health System. “The clarity is so good, our doctors can actually read the physician’s notes on the wall and see through to the exam area and into the nursery down the hallway with no problem. Lifesize has really raised the bar.”
“Lifesize is proud to be associated with Adena Health System and are inspired by their innovative use of video technology,” said Craig Malloy, CEO, Lifesize Communications. “Seeing Lifesize video conferencing products used to improve patient care and quality of life for newborn babies and their mothers reminds us of the dramatic potential of high definition video to change the way we live and work in the future.”
Adena Health System is a full-service, multi-specialty facility in Chillicothe, Ohio serving the 500,000 residents of a 10-county region in rural Ohio. Using a federal grant, the Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) partnered with Adena Health System in Chillicothe and Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus to provide dedicated, high-speed fiber-optic network connectivity along with Lifesize® Room™ HD video systems.
About Adena Heath System
Adena Health System is an independent, not-for-profit and locally controlled organization serving the needs of 10 counties in south central Ohio and employing more than 2,000 people. Adena’s vision is to be the best healthcare system in the nation through innovation and a customer centered philosophy. The system’s family of facilities includes Adena Regional Medical Center, Greenfield Area Medical Center, and Adena Health Centers in Chillicothe, Jackson and Waverly. Adena’s Centers of Excellence include the Heart Center at Adena; the Center for Cancer Care; the Center for Women & Children; and the Bone and Joint Center. Adena was founded in 1895 by area churches as the Chillicothe Hospital.
