Colorado to pilot telemedicine for prisoners
The Colorado Department of Corrections and Denver Health Medical Center are launching a telemedicine pilot program for inmate patients that need consultations in the areas of rheumatology, infectious disease, orthopedics and general surgery. Incarcerated patients will meet with doctors via high-definition video conferencing.
The state hopes the program will reduce the risk of prisoner escape and save money by avoiding costly offsite trips to the medical center. Nineteen different corrections facilities in Colorado will take part in the telemedicine effort starting in June.
Patient transport frequently happens after hours which then requires paying overtime for security detail. Telemedicine allows for easier access to specialty care.
Both Denver Health and the Colorado Department of Corrections have modern video conferencing systems so there are no up-front costs for equipment.
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.