Telehealth Awareness Week at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is a time dedicated to educating the community on the progress that Telehealth is making in South Carolina to improve the access to healthcare. During this week, MUSC hosted a Community Awareness Day to exhibit the various activities of Telehealth in the state and throughout the country. At the event, doctors demonstrated various telehealth options, like the Telestroke EMS program, the school-based Telehealth programs, and the Pediatric Telehealth Critical Care program. Throughout the day, guests were invited to view the equipment and simulation labs, as well as attend a Q & A afterwards, where Telehealth doctors offered information on the impact of Telehealth on both the present and the future of healthcare.
Overall, the goal is to let people know that Telehealth exists, and that it exists to make healthcare more affordable and more available, in particularly to people of rural communities where they have limited access to medical facilities. Dr. David McSwain, of MUSC, who is the Medical Director of Telehealth Optimization, questioned why distance should be a factor in limiting people from getting proper care in today’s world where technology is so prevalent. He stressed the main reason for telehealth, which is to save lives, but also noted the other benefits of implementing these technologies, including saving time, cost, etc. MUSC stated that their staff was open to any questions from the public on Telehealth so that the community could be better informed on this new and growing health service.