Mobile Telemedicine Clinic to serve Eastern Kentucky coal company employees
A joint project between Excel Mining in Martin County, Kentucky, Raymond Wells, MD a longtime family practice physician from Inez, Kentucky, UK’s Office of Health Research and Development, and UK HealthCare’s Kentucky TeleCare Network will bring healthcare services to the coal mines.
A mobile health clinic will be driven by a Nurse Practitioner to any of the Excel mining facilities and umbilical cords from the mine office will bring power and network connectivity to the vehicle. Dr. Wells will be able to provide patient consultations from his office in Inez to the mobile clinic, using videoconference technology and medical peripheral devices such as electronic stethoscopes.
The clinic is equipped with telemedicine technology, including a handheld camera, and electronic stethoscope. There is an EKG machine, defibrillator and other vital equipment to support the Nurse Practitioner as she attends to the healthcare needs of the Excel employees. This program is expected to eventually expand to include the family members of the employees and other Excel Mining facilities across Kentucky and throughout the country.
|
