Hospital on network for health care telecommunications

SARA RHUM

Ledger Lifestyles editor

The Jefferson County Health Center has become part of the Iowa Rural Health Telecommunications Program statewide fiber network.

The project is about creating a pathway to a dedicated health care network where bandwidth is no longer a concern. It is an investment for the future allowing hospitals to fully respond to nation and state initiative such as the creation and use of an electronic health record and to take advantage of programs and services which connected hospitals and systems will offer and pursue.

?This will give us the ability to develop options for the future,? said Jefferson County Health Center chief executive officer and hospital administrator Deb Cardin.

Point-to-point connectivity will be the initial use of the broadband network. Potential applications developed and initiated by IRTHP participating hospitals and systems include transmission of various image files, remote radiology reads, healthcare Intranet, non-clinical education and training programs and other hospital applications. It also will assist with timely digital mammography readings and the ability for radiologists to rapidly access exams.

For the complete article, see the Wednesday, February 25, 2009, Fairfield Ledger.