Barracuda Consulting, LLC

Written By: Kelly Buckman In an era when healthcare is increasingly driven by technology as a means of automating processes and sharing information, what does the future look like for hospitals? It may not be what you think. Case in point is Mercy Virtual Care Center in Chesterfield, MO. At first sight it looks like any other hospital, with doctors and nurses checking vital signs, talking with patients, and creating treatment plans. But unlike hospitals that most of us are used to, there is one thing missing: patients. At Mercy, doctors and nurses treat patients from carrels with monitors showing patients in remote rooms. From here, they can see graphs with bloodwork and images of internal organs and limbs, and scan lists of issues that computer apps have determined they should look out for. Called a “virtual hospital” Mercy is on the cutting edge of healthcare technology. Unlike a traditional hospital, a virtual hospital has no need for rooms, as providers care for patients ...

Written by: Kelly Buckman An elderly woman living alone with limited mobility dials into a teleconference to receive physical therapy via digital monitoring A new mother living in a remote rural area dials into a tele-session to receive assistance with breastfeeding Two physicians 1200 miles apart meet over video conference to review a patient’s X-rays. These scenarios are all examples of ways Telehealth is used in the modern age. Telehealth is most commonly defined as “the distribution of health-related services and information via electronic information and telecommunication technologies” ( www.hrsa.gov ). The terms ‘Telehealth’ and ‘Telemedicine’ are often used interchangeably, but there are subtle differences, in that telemedicine involves using telecommunication and information technology to provide clinical health care whereas ‘Telehealth’ is a broader term encompassing non-clinical (i.e., administration and provider education), as well as clinical implications. It may surprise y...