From Vision to Implementation: The Illinois Rural Health Initiative (IRHI)

摘要

The Illinois Rural Health Network (IRHN) Consortium is a partnership of public universities and health care providers overseeing development of a statewide telehealth and telemedicine program to improve the quality of health and medical care available in rural portions of Illinois. The Consortium successfully pursued funding for a high-speed fiber optic network to connect rural Illinois hospitals and clinics with specialists in all corners of the st ate. The use of high speed broadband technology provides the opportunity to improve access to healthcare services that allow patients to be diagnosed and treated at their rural health care locations by allowing for specialists in urban hospitals to be brought into active, virtual real-time consultation. This will reduce costs, reduce stress on patients and their families, and in some cases, will save lives. In addition, the new network will provide access to continuing education opportunities for both consumers and healthcare professionals.