Telemedicine Helps Emergency Rooms Address Shortage Of Psychiatric Providers
The Memorial Medical Center is utilizing the technology, which allows a psychiatrist to evaluate emergency department patients and then discuss treatment for them with the attending physicians.
Modesto Bee:
Faster Medicine: Video Calls Bring Psychiatrists To Emergency Room Patients’ Bedsides
The Modesto hospital at Briggsmore Avenue and Coffee Road rolled out telepsychiatry service in July and already has assisted dozens of patients in crisis who came through the emergency-room doors. The work station, with a 22-inch screen, is wheeled to the patient’s bedside in the emergency department or an inpatient room if an on-call psychiatrist is not available locally. (Carlson, 9/4)
In other news —
The Mercury News:
Bay Area Medical Professionals Indicted In Kickback Scheme For Medicare Referrals
Three Bay Area doctors and three other health care professionals were indicted last month by a federal grand jury in a kickback scheme related to the referral of Medicare patients to a home health care agency in Milpitas, United States Attorney Alex G. Tse announced Thursday. Federal prosecutors allege three Bay Area doctors received money in exchange for referrals to Medics Choice Home Health, Inc. Prosecutors say Medics Choice Home Health received $4.2 million from Medicare for the care of patients referred by the doctors. (Gomez, 9/4)