ARKANSAS, USA — As the U.S. struggles with the COVID-19 pandemic and surge in the omicron variant, the need for virtual care options for patients is needed more than ever.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given Mercy a $2.2 million grant to expand and upgrade telehealth services for patients across Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri.
“We’re seeing the future of health care during every virtual visit between patients and providers,” said Dr. David Hunton, President of Mercy Clinic Fort Smith. “Telehealth has proven to be an invaluable tool as we continue to work to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our facilities and communities. It’s also convenient for our patients, allowing them an option to get medical care from the safety of their home. With the push of a button, we’re connecting patients with an expert medical team. This represents part of the future for health care delivery and means more access for more people.”
According to Mercy, it has provided more than 800,000 virtual visits between patients and Mercy medical providers since the beginning of the pandemic. Benefits of telehealth include allowing specialists to connect remotely to support patient care, preserving personal protective equipment for in-patient care and promoting social.
The grant will provide telemedicine carts and monitors that allow Mercy co-workers to contact offsite caregivers via video conferencing and allow for specialized, remote treatment, especially inside the hospitals’ COVID and critical care units.
The grant, totaling $2,217,562, will earmark each Mercy location’s funds based on need. The funding will be distributed as follows:
- $793,788 for Mercy in Missouri
- $776,620 for Mercy in Oklahoma
- $647,154 for Mercy in Arkansas
“We had to move very quickly when the pandemic hit,” said Dr. Gavin Helton, president of Mercy Virtual. “Because we had done so much foundational work in the virtual care space, we were able to quickly ramp up and provide care to our communities without the need for patients to leave home. Mercy’s newest virtual offering, COVID Care @ Home, has kept thousands of people out of the hospital and at home where they could be monitored 24/7.”
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mercy’s COVID Care @ Home program has enrolled more than 65,000 patients with virtual care services allowing Mercy caregivers to recommend the most appropriate level of care for clinically triaged patients. Of those in the program, approximately 800 were referred to a Mercy emergency department for a higher level of care and the remainder of patients were managed either at home or at one of several outpatient settings.
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