Enhancing Healthcare Access in Rural Communities Through Telehealth Equipment Expansion
The Project
Stone Mountain Health Services, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) serving seven counties in Southwest Virginia, enhanced telehealth capabilities across its 11 primary care locations. This initiative aimed to improve behavioral health services and physical exam capabilities in rural areas with limited access to urgent care or same-day medical evaluations outside of emergency departments.
Clinics That Received Telehealth Enhancements
Haysi Clinic (Haysi, Dickenson County)
Jonesville Family Health Center (Jonesville, Lee County)
Appalachia Family Health Center (Appalachia, Wise County)
Holston Family Health Center (Damascus, Washington County)
Konnarock Family Health Center (Konnarock, Grayson County)
Western Lee Family Health Clinic (Ewing, Lee County)
Council Family Health Center (Davenport, Buchanan County)
Hurley Family Health Center (Hurley, Buchanan County)
St. Charles Community Health Clinic (St. Charles, Lee County)
William A. Davis Clinic (St. Paul, Russell County)
Thompson Family Health (Vansant, Buchanan County)
Work Conducted:
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Enhanced mental health services by installing Logitech Rally Bars and TytoCare telehealth equipment to facilitate high-quality virtual consultations.
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Expanded same-day clinic access by implementing telehealth devices to enable remote physical examinations, allowing patients to receive timely care without traveling long distances.
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Conducted comprehensive staff training sessions to ensure clinical staff were proficient in using the new telehealth systems.
Goals Achieved:
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Provided enhanced telehealth services to a broader patient population, particularly those in underserved rural communities.
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Improved health outcomes by using advanced telehealth tools to deliver timely interventions, aiming for better patient health metrics and satisfaction.
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Reduced patient wait times and optimized appointment scheduling through the effective use of telehealth solutions.
Evidence from Across Appalachia
Advancing Telehealth in Rural Appalachia
Rural Behavioral Health: Telehealth Challenges and Opportunities
Evaluation Summary Report
​The Stone Mountain Health Services project installed Logitech Rally Bars and Tyto Clinic units and trained medical staff to use them across clinics in the region. Logitech Rally Bars enabled tele-behavioral health services for 294 unique patients in 417 clinical encounters across all 11 clinical locations. Clinical staff reported that these encounters provided faster and more convenient access to care for patients requiring services. Staff also reported that improved access was associated with stronger patient engagement and supported continuity of care, as many of these patients also received primary care at their local SMHS clinic.
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After some implementation delay, Tyto Clinic units were used to provide same-day virtual consultations between SMHS clinics for 12 patients. Clinical staff reported that these patients received prompt diagnosis and treatment of common acute conditions for which they might otherwise have waited for in-person appointments or driven long distances to seek care. The diabetes RPM supplemental pilot enrolled 18 high-risk patients, with real-time glucose data enabling individualized interventions such as medication adjustment recommendations and dietary and exercise teaching. This supplemental project encountered several early implementation challenges, including low patient adherence, digital barriers such as connectivity issues, and limited digital literacy. As a result, less than half the patients recruited for this program met their monitoring frequency goals. Despite these barriers, five patients reported limited reductions in their HbA1c, while two received escalation to primary care based on readings.
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The sustainability of telehealth services varied by mechanism. Continuation of tele-behavioral counseling services using Logitech Rally Bars appeared highly sustainable because the units were installed across sites, and both patients and staff were supportive and proficient in their use. Dependence on external vendors for the Tyto and RPM units, combined with recurring charges for their use, represented a vulnerability to sustainable service provision. SMHS was seeking support for these ongoing expenses.