SWAN QUARTER — The Hyde County Health Department now offers a way for patients to receive primary healthcare services through telemedicine, an answer to dwindling rural healthcare resources.

The telemedicine program was implemented at the HCHD in Feb. 2013 through grants from the Albemarle Hospital Foundation and the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation, said Kelley Newman, a registered nurse and the department’s telemedicine coordinator. Prior to the telemedicine program, HCHD did not offer primary care services and only offered public health services.

“We weren’t offering primary care at all until this program,” Newman said. “We had limited services. Now we are able to see patients for a wide range of services through telemedicine.”

Newman said the new technology enables patients to see a doctor five days a week through a “virtual” appointment. Off-site doctors can see patients Monday through Friday through a computer screen and video camera.

During a telemedicine appointment, a nurse assists the off-site doctor in conducting examinations using tools like a stethoscope to listen to the patient’s heart, an otoscope to examine a patient’s ears and an exam camera, used to examine a patient’s eyes, throat and skin, Newman said.

“The patients see the doctor just like a normal visit and they can talk to each other through the screen,” Newman said. “We have three main tools we use. The nurse is in the room for the entire visit and helps the doctor by doing the physical assessment.”

After the nurse has done the patient’s physical examination, the telemedicine technology displays pictures on the computer screen, enabling the doctor to examine the results of the physical assessment, Newman said. For example, a nurse would use an otoscope to examine a patient’s ears and the telemedicine technology would display what the otoscope is seeing. This allows the doctor to make his or her assessment based on the examination.

The off-site doctor and the on-site nurse then have identical charts for the patient, allowing them to document the patient’s medical history, Newman said. After the physical assessment, the doctor writes up his or her assessment, diagnosing the patient and electronically prescribing the proper medicine.

Newman said the telemedicine technology is great for patients with chronic conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure. It alleviates the need for patients in rural areas like Hyde County to drive long distances to receive healthcare services.

“I think it’s a great use of technology for primary care,” Newman said. “It opens a lot of doors for rural areas and service providers. It can be hard to recruit and keep a provider in an area like Hyde County. I’ve seen a lot of patients’ lives change by receiving primary treatment because a lot of times they can’t drive to get proper healthcare.”

For more information about telemedicine or to schedule an appointment at the Hyde County Health Department, call 252-926-4399. Appointments can be made Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.