South Carolina is being recognized as a leader in the telehealth industry for its commitment to statewide collaboration. The South Carolina Telehealth Alliance (SCTA), which consists of several organizations that work to develop and expand telehealth services, won the American Telemedicine Association's President's Award for Transformation of Healthcare Delivery this year.
Telehealth can mean several different things, like a doctor's appointment where the patient sees their physician through video on their tablet, or the life-saving connection between a rural hospital and a stroke expert. It's a way to provide greater healthcare access everywhere.
"It shows that we sometimes leave our personal goals and objectives behind," said Kathy Schwarting, the SCTA Advisory Council co-chair. "We look at the goals and objectives of the state as a whole."
Schwarting said the key to South Carolina's success in developing telehealth is the collaboration among competing hospital groups, primary care offices, and health organizations.