SIU plans downstate expansion of telehealth services

LINCOLN, Ill. (AP) - Southern Illinois University is employing more than 100 trained professionals to carry out what's expected to be a massive expansion of the School of Medicine's "telehealth" services over the next two years.

The State Journal-Register (http://bit.ly/28iS28k ) reports that the medical school and its physician group, SIU HealthCare, have spent about $300,000 in startup costs on SIU Telehealth since 2014.

SIU Telehealth uses secure networks and high-quality video and audio to connect residents in central and southern Illinois to specialists in Springfield.

The university has already installed equipment at hospitals in 11 communities, including Decatur, Benton, Carthage, Havana, Pittsfield and Carlinville.

An SIU Telehealth official expects to have about 50 sites up and running by July 2017.

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Information from: The State Journal-Register, http://www.sj-r.com