St. Anthony, OSU announce telemedicine partnership for western Oklahoma

October 13, 2009 (OKLAHOMA CITY) - St. Anthony Hospital and Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences today announced a partnership to provide telemedicine services to expand the availability of specialty medical care in underserved areas of western Oklahoma.

This partnership will link St. Anthony specialists with six affiliated hospitals and one rural clinic in the western part of the state. Patients initially will have telemedicine access to the stroke team and psychiatry services, expanding in the near future to Cardiology, ENT, and Pulmonary Specialists.  The use of video and technology make this cutting edge experience unique.

A significant problem faced by rural patients is access to medical specialists. Less populated areas often cannot sustain specialty physicians, leaving patients to travel to large metropolitan areas for specialized care. Through telemedicine, patients can visit a hospital or clinic near home to connect with a specialist practicing in another city.

"At St. Anthony, we understand the need for access to health care in rural communities. This partnership with OSU Center for Health Sciences and College of Osteopathic Medicine is the foundation of a growing program that will ultimately bridge the gap of distance for many communities by using technology.  We are proud to be on the cutting edge of this concept, "says Joe Hodges, President, St. Anthony Hospital.

"Our focus at OSU Center for Health Sciences and College of Osteopathic Medicine is to provide physicians for rural and underserved Oklahoma. Already we have developed a robust telemedicine network linking rural sites in eastern Oklahoma with doctors in larger cities. By working with St. Anthony, we are able to expand this important footprint of care into Western Oklahoma," says Stanley E. Grogg, D.O., and interim president and dean of OSU Center for Health Sciences. 

Affiliate hospitals anticipated going live in January are: Beaver County Memorial Hospital (Beaver, OK), Cordell Memorial Hospital (Cordell, OK), Fairview Regional Medical Center (Fairview, OK), Harper County Community Hospital (Buffalo, OK), Newman Memorial Hospital (Shattuck, OK), Okeene Municipal Hospital (Okeene, OK), and a Laverne Family Health Clinic (Laverne, OK).  St. Anthony and OSU expect to add five more sites during the summer of 2010.

CONTACT: Sheradee Hurst, 272-6334