The Medical Center Navicent Health showed off its new telemedicine program on Wednesday.
Right now, it is used for pediatric healthcare in partnership with Tift Regional.
Patients that live three or four hours from Macon can get seen by a pediatric expert in Macon with just a short drive to their local hospital.
“We have a stethescope we can use that actually uses bluetooth that can connect to a stethescope that the nurse staff has at the remote location. When I listen I can hear the patients heartbeat, lung sounds, that kind of stuff,” said nurse practitioner Andy Wheeler. “They also have a remote camera with auto scope I can look in the ears if we need to, and so it works pretty well.”
Right now, the program is just used for children with gastro-intestinal and abdominal issues, but there are plans to expand to other specialties and eventually adults.
There are also plans to make it available through other hospitals and even family doctors offices.
Date: December 17, 2015