2/28/13

Thune "telehealth" bill debunked

A staff member for Senator don Juan Thune (earth hater-SD) may have inadvertently signaled support for President Obama's health care initiative. In a blurb posted at the Rapid City Journal the ghost writer for South Dakota's junior senator said:
Often, small rural hospitals are not prepared to deal with complex patients and will sometimes need to transfer patients to larger, specialized hospitals. Immediate access to a physician that specializes in emergency medicine via telehealth can help the rural hospital determine whether a transfer is necessary. This ensures that precious time is not lost waiting for the on-call physician to arrive. It also benefits the hospital ensuring that, when appropriate, the patient can remain at their local hospital to receive care. This allows the small rural hospital to be reimbursed for services, making it easier for these safety-net hospitals to keep their doors open.
"Bipartisan," Senator? Next thing you know you'll be branded a RINO.

Thune plan debunked here:
The authors take a swipe at previous reviews that suggest differently, arguing that, "while most conclude that telehealth is beneficial, such inferences are not supported by the evidence they present."

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