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V O L . X X V I N O. X X I I S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 2 0 20 H E A LT H C A R E / W E L L N E S S F O C U S ConvenientMD plans to keep invest- ing in technology to expand telehealth while building further bricks and mortar sites, including in Ellsworth. Originally scheduled to be ready in 2020, that's now been moved to March 2021. "We stepped back on all develop- ment until we knew where COVID was headed, but the volume at all of our clin- ics across the three states is higher than planned," he says. "We're performing better than we had prior to COVID." Maine-based health care systems MaineHealth and Northern Light Health are equally committed to expand- ing their telehealth capabilities after the pandemic-fuelled spike in demand. MaineHealth, the largest health care system in New England and Maine's largest private employer, has used tele- health going back to 2000 and ramped that up during the pandemic. at will continue with several federally funded projects, including a $1.15 million project to buy equipment for hospital telehealth and to serve at-risk, rural populations. Jasmine Bishop, MaineHealth's director of telehealth, says the team is growing as MaineHealth considers ven- dors including Senscio Systems to build out its remote patient monitoring pro- gram and analyzes qualitative data from telehealth patient surveys to see where any adjustments may be needed. "It's an iterative process, and both patients and providers have been so understanding of any glitches," she says. "We have the opportunity to reduce the potential for those as we move into a new world" when fear of the coronavirus subsides. "It's really going to test how well-adapted telehealth will be." At Northern Light Health in Brewer, Matt Weed, the chief strategy officer, sees telehealth as a key component of the customer service mix for patients. He was one himself in May, seeing an orthopedic surgeon virtually at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center for a sore shoulder. "We had face-to-face con- tact, the surgeon had a good camera and was able to see that I had a good range of motion," Weed says. "I really got everything I could have gotten from an in-person visit, though if surgery had been indicated that would have required an in-person visit." at was not the case, he says, "and everything was done beautifully through telehealth." 'As much as we want it to be' Back at Avesta Housing, resident services manager Nick Kjeldgaard is pleased with how the partnership with Senscio Systems is going and the Ibis tablets's growing popularity with elderly residents. "I would suggest that most people who are using them now continue to use them once things are back to normal," he says. He's equally excited about the prospect of using the data to see where Avesta can improve care for residents, like through classes on bal- ance or nutrition. "is can be as much as we want it to be," he says. R e n e e C o r d e s , M a i n e b i z s e n i o r w r i t e r, c a n b e r e a c h e d a t r c o r d e s @ m a i n e b i z . b i z a n d @ r s c o r d e s » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E Visit us at MartinsPoint.org Primary and Specialty Care H E A LT H C A R E C E N T E R S We serve patients of all ages in southern Maine and New Hampshire and accept most major health insurance plans. Medicare G E N E R AT I O N S A D VA N TA G E We offer Medicare Advantage insurance plans for seniors in Maine and New Hampshire. TRICARE ® U S FA M I LY H E A LT H P L A N We offer a TRICARE Prime option for military families throughout the Northeast. We Are Here for You Providing care, coverage, and support for our Maine community through these challenging times and beyond. I really got everything I could have gotten from an in-person visit, though if surgery had been indicated that would have required an in- person visit. Everything was done beautifully through telehealth. — Matt Weed Northern Light Health P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y S E N S C I O S Y S T E M S Senscio Systems issues a 10-inch Ibis tablet powered by artificial intelligence.

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