Telemedicine makes an impact in Wicomico Co.

For Kelly Forsythe, getting the proper healthcare for her two daughters who have Type 1 diabetes used to be an all-day affair.

Traveling from Delmar, Delaware to the University of Maryland

“We would drive two hours there, spend two to three hours there, and then two hours back.” Said Forsythe.

But now, thanks to telemedicine technology, Forsythe and her daughters now only have to make a short trip down to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury.

There they have remote access to diabetes specialists such as Dr. Fran Cogen in who works out of Children’s National in Washington D.C.

She has routine virtual visits with about 70 patients who otherwise would not receive the same level of care.

Dr. Cogan said, “We would not be able to take care of the patients in Salisbury and the surrounding areas.”

47 ABC went inside the exam room to get a first hand look at how a telemedicine appointment is conducted.

First the hardware.

Telemedicine carts consist of a webcam, monitor, and computer.

Some even have bluetooth devices that transfer information wirelessly.

After everything is powered on, a specialist on the other end remotes in.

Following a brief greeting and introduction a doctor will look at data sent from the hosting office.

Then a nurse in the room with the patient conducts any physical exams if needed and relays the results back to the specialist in real time.

Convenient, time saving, and cost-saving, CRNP Flora Glasgow with PRMC tells 47 ABC that telemedicine is also covered by many insurance plans.

“That is submitted as a telemedicine visit to the insurance company and it is reimbursed at whatever the customary rate is for that visit in the state of Maryland.”

Right now, the PRMC and Children’s National telemedicine services only apply to pediatric diabetes patients who may have an infectious disease.