Walking out of the doors of South Carolina ETV, Marina Ziehe and Taylor Crouch carry a combined 40 pounds' worth of equipment. Loading up and settling in for the drive, they arrive at Greenville Health Systems Children’s Hospital, about a two-hour ride from Columbia. There they set up that equipment to interview Dr. Jonathan Markowitz. He specializes in pediatric gastroenterology. It’s all in an effort to elevate public understanding of telehealth in South Carolina.
What is Telehealth? Telehealth is the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration. Through the South Carolina Telehealth Alliance, a collaboration of stakeholders working together to make quality healthcare services accessible to rural communities and underserved populations
Through the human stories of patients, families, clinicians and others, Ziehe and Crouch have been providing stories from around the Palmetto State through the series, My Telehealth.
“One of the biggest lessons I have learned while working on the My Telehealth project has to do with allowing yourself to explore the new. Working on a project related to healthcare had never crossed my mind before getting into this one. Now, thinking back about the stories we have done, the people we have talked with, and the hearts we have touched, I know this is a very special area to explore,” says Ziehe.
To date, there have been 21 video stories published. South Carolina Public Radio also hosts the My Telehealth podcast.
"From the moment we pack up the equipment for an interview to the moment we click 'upload' to post the final story, the process of telling a telehealth story is revealing. There are so many sides and experiences. Being able to discover these stories and share them is most rewarding, particularly as telehealth services continue to grow in our state," adds Crouch.
As for Ziehe, “I look forward to continuing to produce stories that inform, educate, and inspire people.”
To keep up with My Telehealth stories, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
