The 9th Annual APRN State Conference will be held on the UAMS campus on Friday, August 14, in the Jackson T. Stephens Spine Institute. The goal of the conference is to keep health professionals, providers and supporters aware of initiatives, resources and laws that impact APRNs in Arkansas.
#TelehealthCarl and I will be roaming the crowd and spreading the word about Telehealth 101. Throughout the day, the blog will be updated live from the event and pictures will be posted on Facebook (LearnTelehealth) and Twitter (@LearnTelehealth).
10 AM Update
Approximately 200 APRNs are attending the conference on site, while several others are attending via interactive video. #TelehealthCarl and I have been meeting participants and talking with them about the free webinar, “Telehealth 101 – The Easy Basics of Telehealth and Telemedicine,” which is scheduled for noon on September 14. We are also learning how these nursing professionals are using Telemedicine and Telehealth in their clinical settings.
Meet Roseann Hodges. She uses Telemedicine in her practice at the VA. She said, “I see my patients monthly. They have Telehealth consults in between our face-to-face visits. I can read the nursing notes and address problems more quickly because of Telemedicine. I love it!”
Say hello to Rhonda Evans. She shared how she defines the value in Telemedicine. She said, “Telemedicine gives those in rural areas access to specialists. It is big city medicine in a rural setting.”
These fun ladies are Jen Shuler and Tess Smith. These ladies discussed the passage of new Telemedicine legislation in Arkansas, which will expand Telemedicine into remote areas where it is needed most!
Click here to read the New Arkansas Telemedicine Law – Fact Sheet.
2 PM Update
The afternoon is continuing with more interesting conversations and new Telehealth friends.
Meet Telischa Lewis and Ellen Crouse. Both of these ladies work for the VA. Elaine said, “When patients are willing to work with Telemedicine/Telehealth technology, it can positively impact their healthcare.” Telischa said, “We use Telemedicine everyday to monitor patients with various chronic diseases and conditions.”
Joyce Ginette Clark uses Telemedicine on a daily basis in her work with the VA. She said, “I use Telemedicine to connect transplant patients with specialists in Texas. This saves my patients time and money.”
Tami Bell lives in Corning, which is located in the northeast corner of the state. This rural area is known as the Arkansas Delta. Tami said, “The use of Telemedicine is growing in Sharp county.”
Wrap Up
#TelehealthCarl and I have gleaned a lot of good information today from APRNs practicing Telemedicine and Telehealth in the field.
We have learned that Telemedicine and Telehealth:
- help medical professionals identify and treat problems more quickly
- provide patients in rural areas with access to specialists
- create treatment options for Arkansans due to new legislation in Arkansas
- promote a positive impact on a patient’s life
- save time and money
- will continue to grow and meet patient needs
Thank you for following along with us today! We invite you to attend our free webinar, “Telehealth 101: The Easy Basics of Telehealth and Telemedicine,” on Monday, September 14, at noon. Click here for more information.
