Jared Antczak, Sanford Health chief digital officer, recently joined a national panel hosted by Xtelligent Media discussing vulnerable populations and the challenges of meeting their health literacy needs in a digital age.
The panel discussion was part of the 2nd Annual Remote Patient Monitoring Virtual Summit, composed of health care and technology leaders from organizations across the country. The summit aims to address the successes and challenges of digital health care.
Find virtual care: Sanford Health will see you at home — here’s how
Antczak spoke along with panelists from Baptist Health System, Providence Health and Texas Association of Community Health Centers.
“Sanford Health provides some of the most advanced health care services available to anyone, and we do it in the largest rural geographic footprint in the entire country,” said Antczak.
“Here in the upper rural Midwest, it’s not uncommon for some of our patients to travel three to four hours to get to the nearest doctor’s office. Unfortunately, for many, that means taking time off from work, finding childcare and/or reliable transportation just to make that journey — which can be a barrier for many people to get the care they need in time to make a difference.
“We know that postponing preventive care can result in health complications and poorer outcomes, so we need to make it easy to do the right thing for our patients. The potential for virtual tools to bring care closer to home, or even in the home can be life-changing and even life-saving for people living in rural and underserved communities.”
During the panel discussion, Antczak discussed opportunities to address digital equity in rural, underserved populations by removing or mitigating the physical, social, and intellectual obstacles that prevent engagement with digital tools including reliable internet access, device availability and digital literacy.
As the largest rural health care system in the U.S., Sanford Health is committed to delivering world-class care to the patients and health plan members it serves no matter where they live or the challenges they face.
Antczak joined the health system earlier this year on the heels of an announcement to launch a virtual care initiative, a $350 million investment into the future of digital care delivery. The initiative includes plans for:
- Interconnected rural satellite clinics
- Remote patient monitoring
- Assisted living support
- 24/7 access to primary care, specialist care, mental health services and additional advanced resources
Watch:
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Posted In Company News, Corporate Services & Administration, Here for all. Here for good., Leadership in Health Care, Rural Health, Virtual Care
