Bridges to Health
Summary
Bridges to Health is a health education and medical care delivery project that uses Telehealth technology to target chronic diseases, especially diabetes, in diagnosed and at risk older (55+) adults. The project plan describes three goals to improve access, enhance health care delivery, avoid re-hospitalizations, provide health information, and foster independent living for older adults.
- Increase access to care for older adults (over 55) with chronic diseases who reside in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula by expanding Telehealth capabilities in the region and the number and types of consultations with specialty physicians using Telemedicine technology.
- Improve diabetes/chronic disease self-management for older adults by collaborating with Certified Diabetes Centers to develop a diabetes education program to be broadcast widely in the region using Telehealth technology, thereby reducing unnecessary use of higher-cost health care facilities and keeping older adults at home as long as possible.
- Enhance provider capacity to meet care needs of patients with chronic diseases by developing and providing continuing medical education for allied health professionals, caregivers, and physicians using Telehealth technology
Impact- the use of Telehealth technology will improve access to health information; increase compliance and self-management of chronic diseases; help patients seek earlier care for complications; support more coordinated information exchange between provides; and reduce inappropriate emergency room use, or reliance on higher levels of care.
Need- The area is home to sparse and geographically dispersed predominantly lower income, older, and medically underserved population of over 141,000. Due to social, economic, cultural, geographic, ethnicity, age, education levels and health status, many residents have significant difficulty in accessing existing health services and making optimal use of resources to prevent, detect and manage their diseases. Contributing to care barriers are travel difficulties for older patients who live at a distance from specialty providers; provider shortages that threaten the management of patient care; and chronic disease rates at a rate higher than the national and state mean.
Target Population- 32,000 older adults who reside in a rural northeastern Virginia: Those who have been diagnosed with and are receiving or should receive education and treatment to manage chronic diseases, especially diabetes; patients who may require care from medical specialists; and health care providers needing continuing medical education.
Annual Goal- An average of 250-275 patients and an average of 50-70 rural health care providers
Partners
-University of Virginia Center for Diabetes Professional Education
-Riverside Home Health
-The Orchard
-Home Care Delivered
-Northern Neck Senior Network