Telehealth is Transforming the Delivery of Healthcare in Alabama and the World!

Dale E. Quinney, Executive DirectorAlabama Rural Health Association

arha@arhaonline.org(334)546-3502

3rd Alabama Rural Health & Telehealth Summit 2014Birmingham

October 16, 2014

Alabamians Have Very Serious and ChallengingHealth Care Concerns

• 3rd highest age-adjusted death rate among all 50 states (2nd unadjusted)• Life expectancy 3 years below that for the nation• Highest stroke death rate among all 50 states• 3rd highest heart diseases death rate among all 50 states• 7th highest cancer death rate among all 50 states• 2nd highest percent of adults who have had their blood cholesterol

checked and were told that it was high (42 percent)• 3rd highest chlamydia and gonorrhea infection rates among all 50 states• 5th highest percentage of adult obesity among all states (33 percent)• 3rd highest homicide death rate among all states• 5th highest motor vehicle accident death rate among all states• 9th highest percent of adult tobacco usage (24 percent)

Alabama’s Top 13 Health Issues1. Access to Care 2. Mental Health and Substance Abuse3. Poor Pregnancy Outcomes4. Nutrition and Physical Activity5. Circulatory Diseases6. Sexually Transmitted Infections7. Cancer8. Child Abuse and Neglect 9. Diabetes10. Geriatrics11. Injury and Violence Prevention12. Dental Health13. Tobacco Use

Concern: Access to Care

Primary Care Physicians Actively PracticingIn Alabama Counties By Age, 2012

Source: Alabama Medical Licensure Commission ‘s 2012 Licensed Physician Data Base.

<31 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80+

Total = 3,056

Age Not Given = 4

Average Age = 51.6 years

Median Age = 52

SELECTED COUNTIES WITH HIGHER PERCENTAGES OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH NO

VEHICLE

Concern:

Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Concern:

Poor Pregnancy Outcomes

A PICTURE OF THE LOSS OF RURAL OBSTETRICAL SERVICE IN ALABAMA SINCE 1980 IN MAPS

Produced by the Alabama Department of Public Health, Office of Primary Care and Rural Health and the Alabama Rural Health Association, January 31, 2014. The defining of counties as being rural or urban is based upon a definition that is used for study purposes by these agencies.

46 of the 54 counties currently considered RURAL

had hospitals providing obstetrical service in 1980

17 of the 54 counties currently considered RURAL

have hospitals providing obstetrical service TODAY

MAJOR CHALLENGES TO REALIZING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF TELEHEALTH

IN ALABAMA

Inadequate reimbursement for telehealth services

Lack of universal broadband access in Alabama

Lack of understanding of what telehealth currently is and what it is going to become

Perception that telehealth equipment is too expensive