Photos: Verl and Betty Eckman, of Abilene, appreciate the opportunity to visit with Verl’s doctor, Dr. Bill Short, during a telehealth visit facilitated by Home Health and Hospice of Dickinson County nurse Melissa Peterson, RN.
Thanks to a Connectivity Emergency Response Grant (CERG) from the Kansas Department of Commerce, to address the increased need for internet connectivity in Kansas. The grant, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, allows Home Health and Hospice of Dickinson County patients to now have access to telehealth services, even if they lack access to a broadband connection, or unable to afford and/or operate the technology.
Home Health and Hospice of Dickinson County nurses are bringing the internet and telehealth services to their patients within Dickinson County. By bringing the service to the patients, they are able to stay in the comfort and safety of their own homes and receive the medical care they need.
“It’s really neat to be able to have this,” Betty Eckman said during a telehealth visit for her husband, Verl. “We had been seeing telehealth visits talked about on television, and are now really happy to be able to have it for Verl’s care.”
Home Health and Hospice of Dickinson County is an affiliate of Memorial Health System, of Abilene. They serve residents in all areas of the county, including areas where traditional cellular or internet services are not available.
“Some residents do not have the ability, resources, or means to easily get into an office to see their doctor,” Home Health and Hospice Director, Carol Whitehair said. “Our goal is to provide our caregivers with the ability to bring needed telehealth services to their patients, no matter their location in Dickinson County, by equipping them with FirstNet enabled iPads, which allows for real-time telehealth communication with doctors and other health care providers.”
Memorial Health System is a community anchor due to the critical health services it provides to Dickinson County residents. Services include a well-equipped, up-to-date Critical Access Hospital, Home Health and Hospice, Long Term Care Facility, HUD Housing for Seniors, and much more. Home Health and Hospice services provide a critical service for residents in rural Dickinson County, as many residents are elderly and often homebound, or struggle to find assistance to safely get to and from their homes.
The grant provided Home Health and Hospice of Dickinson County nurses and providers with 20 FirstNet enabled iPads, which allow them to facilitate telehealth visits for their patients. The iPads also kept families connected during the Covid-19 lockdown. The grant total was $26,419.80. “We are thankful for the grant, and the ability to bring families and health care providers together with technology,” Whitehair said.