Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State said it plans to implement a telemedicine triage program citywide in its 106 residences for people with disabilities. The project builds upon a pilot started by the Staten Island Performing Provider System that demonstrated an ability to reduce unnecessary visits to the emergency room. Trained staff members use a wireless kiosk with a laptop, digital camera and electronic stethoscope to connect to emergency physicians at the medical group, StationMD. Doctors evaluate patients and determine whether to direct them to the emergency room or prescribe medication. Using software associated with the telemedicine system, staff members can transmit vital signs to StationMD physicians. The nonprofit plans to collect more data on emergency room visits that are avoided through the program. “We will track this on all 106 residences, because we think it will be a big savings for the state,” said Susan Constantino, the organization’s chief executive. The project is funded through an $898,948 grant from the Dormitory Authority of the state’s Nonprofit Infrastructure Capital Investment Program, which in December awarded $100 million to 237 nonprofits for construction projects and technology upgrades.
