New program will help local doctors improve kids care
It can be hard for parents to navigate health care, even in places where there are many doctors.
But in rural counties where there are fewer doctors, it can be especially challenging.
That’s why the Mercer University School of Medicine and the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center have teamed up to bring the Kids Alliance for Better Care (KidsABC) to Gilmer County.
“The children of rural Georgia deserve access to the same services that can be provided in a rural community that a kid in Metro Atlanta does,” said Dr. Jean R. Sumner, the Mercer University School of Medicine Dean. Sumner is a Master of the American College of Physicians as well.
This year, KidsABC is expanding to Gilmer County, along with Fannin, Towns, Union, Lumpkin, Murray, Haralson, Upson, Taylor, Bleckley, Washington and Evans counties.
In Gilmer, the program will partner with Georgia Mountains Health Services. KidsABC is committed to continue the program for at least 10 years, Sumner said.
The group’s mission is to connect pediatricians and family medicine doctors to resources that can save time and money.
“If a child can get the same care at home and doesn’t have to drive 100 miles one way to see a doctor, we look at that as miles saved,” Sumner said.
120 of Georgia’s 159 counties are rural, she said. In these smaller populations, there are fewer doctors and specialists.
Often, this fact poses difficulties for families in need of medical care. Sometimes, visiting a specialist requires a long drive to Atlanta or another urban center.
It’s also more difficult for rural doctors to keep up with the latest medical science, Sumner said. Without a larger medical community nearby, it’s difficult to keep up to date on the latest medical research.
KidsABC helps fix these problems by connecting doctors to statewide networks of information and contacts. The group provides a podcast, training, education and contact with other physicians.
“Medicine is a profession where you need a colleague to share a case and discuss,” Sumner said. “It’s very complex sometimes.”
Having a network of doctors to discuss cases with can help immensely.
“We have free conferences several times a year on different topics,” Sumner said said.
When local doctors have connections to specialists, they can arrange online appointments for patients rather than requiring them to drive hours to Atlanta.
“The telehealth that we put in allows the doctor to examine the patient,” Sumner said.
This program doesn’t mean medicine over the phone, she said. Instead, it allows doctors to remotely listen to the heart, examine the ears and otherwise check vital signs.
KidsABC also provides mental health screening in schools, training for local emergency rooms and more.
“We’re going to be consistent in our effort to enhance care and to strengthen care across our rural communities,” Sumner said.