Connected = Healthier

We live in a time when technology is changing our lives in ways our parents couldn’t have dreamed of. It’s a daily driver now in academic medicine, where new and changing technologies constantly reshape the way we teach health sciences, conduct research and treat our patients. 

This week, we were able to showcase some of the technology used to monitor patient care remotely with key decision makers in our state and nationally, plus share news of expanding our telehealth program in both space and scope. 

We have renamed our telehealth unit the Center for Telehealth and Emerging Technologies to reflect the department’s strategic evolution and widening focus. Assisting patients via web-connected tools and devices remains the foundation of the center’s work. The new name acknowledges the center’s involvement with advancements such as AI-powered clinical tools and digital health platforms, which are becoming crucial for our service delivery and research efforts. The facility will also move from its current location in the C Spire corporate building in Ridgeland to The Woodlands office complex on County Line Road. 

That expanded focus involves pursuing grant funding for AI-based initiatives, especially those that can be integrated into telehealth to improve clinical decision-making, patient engagement, provider well-being and reducing health disparities. By leveraging emerging technologies, we aim to close patient care gaps, improve health outcomes and make sure all this innovation benefits all Mississippians, regardless of ZIP code.  

On Wednesday, we were able to share the successes and challenges that lie ahead for digital health care delivery with U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty during a joint appearance at the Mississippi Center for Emergency Services. Dr. Saurabh Chandra, UMMC chief telehealth officer, and Dr. Tearsanee Davis, Center for Telehealth and Emerging Technologies director for clinical programs and strategy, gave a presentation to Sen. Wicker and Commissioner Trusty about the impact of the program being named a Telehealth Center for Excellence – along with the Medical University of South Carolina – in 2017 by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. This led to a larger update in general on where we stand as a state with rural connectivity, including comments from Dr. William Morgan, CEO of Copiah County Medical Center. He shared how his critical care hospital’s partnership with UMMC’s telehealth program is redefining health care delivery and outcomes in that community and reducing need for patient transfers. Due to this success, CCMC updated their mission statement to include “cutting-edge innovation and collaboration.”  

In addition to vital federal funding, our telehealth directors will also actively seek partnerships with like-minded technology companies to co-develop AI solutions designed with Mississippi’s health care landscape in mind. Those partnerships are vital for keeping UMMC competitive with top academic medical centers nationwide. In general, these solutions involve streamlining providers’ access to patient data and enhancing remote patient care system-wide. 

MCES was a fitting location for this meeting as it is the statewide connectivity hub for the state’s emergency medical services.  

Commissioner Trusty lauded UMMC for its efforts and forward thinking in the use of telehealth and other technologies in caring for a mostly rural population with limited health services. She had this to say about our team and our programs: “UMMC is proof that when Mississippi talent meets modern technology, there’s no limit to what can be achieved.” 

Our pursuit of expanded opportunities tailored to Mississippi’s needs will mean UMMC can elevate its regional impact while remaining at the vanguard of digital health information for all communities we serve. And as always, creating innovative solutions to address Mississippi’s health challenges is how we achieve A Healthier Mississippi.