Quincy Reporter

Blessing Health System issued the following announcement on Aug. 5

1. ILLINI COMMUNITY HOSPITAL RECEIVES FEDERAL DOLLARS TO EXPAND TELEMEDICINE CARE

Patients of Illini Community Hospital will benefit from expanded telemedicine services, thanks to funding from the federal government.

Illini will receive $115,000 to purchase:

• Three telemedicine systems to link patients receiving care on the Illini Community Hospital campus with specialty providers in Quincy and other communities. The systems will include medical equipment including stethoscopes, and devices to exam patients’ eyes and ears.
• iPads, Wi-Fi hot spots and additional remote monitoring medical equipment to be used to monitor patients after hospital discharge who have conditions that place them at high risk for hospital readmission or for frequent emergency room visits.

“One of the largest hurdles the residents of the region served by Illini Community Hospital face in getting access to the healthcare they need is transportation,” said Kathy Hull, administrator, Illini Community Hospital. “Telemedicine is one way we can bring the specialists to rural residents economically and effectively, and to help them better manage their health in their homes.”

 “Another challenge faced by many rural residents is internet connectivity. Sometimes there is no cell service, let alone internet service available, making the use of the latest technology to monitor patients’ health from their homes impossible. This project makes that possible now,” Hull concluded.

The funding was secured from federal Agricultural, Rural Development and Food and Drug Administration appropriations at the request from U.S. senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth.

This most recent project brings the total federal funding secured by Blessing Heath System over the past several weeks for patient care initiatives in the region to $953,773.  The total includes $445,761 to expand telemedicine services for patients served by Blessing in other area communities and regions, and $393,012 to address issues of vaccine confidence in rural areas served by Blessing.

Original source can be found here.