Resolution 073-2008
Commissioner Di Gennaro
RESOLUTION .QlL-2008
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
IN SUPPORT OF TELEMEDIClNE UTILIZING
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AS A KEY TOOL TO
BRING BETTER HEALTH CARE AND HEALTH
EDUCATION TO FLORIDA'S RURAL COMMUNITIES.
WHEREAS, telemedicine has been defined as the use of telecommunications to provide
medical information and services; and
WHEREAS, health information technology advances and innovations include electronic
health records, computerized decision support systems, home health, and other technologies that
store, protect, retrieve, and transfer clinical, administrative, and financial information
electronically within health care settings; and
WHEREAS, ruraI communities like Monroe County are fucing shortages in specialists,
nurses, and mainland clinical care can be difficult for residents to access; and
WHEREAS, telemedicine can expand access, increase coordination, and improve the
quality of health care services; improve and expand the training of health care providers; and
expand and improve the quality of health information available to health care providers, patients,
and their families; and
WHEREAS, telepathology (the sending of pathology slides electronically) can be
utilized for diagnostic consultation, and teleradiology (the sending of x-rays, CT scans, or MRI's
electronically) is a common application oftelemedicine in use today; and
WHEREAS, videoconferencing technology achieves interactive "real time"
consultations from urban-ta-rural hospitals and locations; and
WHEREAS, almost all specialties of medicine have been found to be conducive to this
kind of electronic inter-active consultation, including psychiatry, internal medicine, rehabilitation,
cardiology, pediatrics, obstetrics, and gynecology and neurology; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Deparbnent of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and
Services Administration (HRSA) has created the Office of Health Information Technology
(OHIT) within the HRSA to promote health information technology advances and innovations;
and
WHEREAS, OHIT oversees the Telehealth Network Grant Program through the Office
for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) in support of telehealth networks that provide services
in different settings (e.g. long-term health care fucilities, hospitals, community health centers or
clinics, physician offices, schools, assisted living facilities, etc.) to demonstrate how telehealth
networks can be used, and has awarded over $250 million in grants to deploy electronic
information and telecommunications to provide clinical care at a distance, patient and
professional education, and health administratioo; and
I
WHEREAS, the Monroe County Board of Commissioners recognizes that advanced
technology should be a key part of the strategy to address clinician shortages in remote areas to
meet the health care needs of our aging population, to minimize the vulnerability of health
systems and their patients to medical errors, to provide cost-effective care to the uninsured, and to
be prepared to meet medical threats of bio-terrorism and infectious diseases;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOL YED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA that:
I. The Monroe County Board of Commissioners hereby supports the
development and promotion of telemedicine technology innovations in the
State of Florida to bring better health care and health education to rura1
communities, and urges the Florida LegisIatore to approve funding to support
pilot programs to demonstrate the value of telehealth networks to improve health
services to Florida's underserved communities.
2. The Clerk is hereby directed to forward copies of this resolution to: Rep.
Ron Saunders, District 120; Senator Larcenia BuUard, District 39; U.S.
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, District 18; Governor Charlie Crist;
and also to Rep. Rene Garcia, Chair of the Florida House Committee on Health
Innovation; and Senator Durell Peaden, Chair of the Florida Senate Standing
Committee on Health and Human Services Appropriations.
Passed and adopted by the Monroe County Board of Commissioners at a meeting held
this 19th day of March, 2008.
Mayor McCoy
Mayor Pro Tem Di Gennaro
Commissioner Murphy
Commissioner Neugent
Commissioner Spehar
Yes
Yes
Not present
Yes
Yes
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By:
MONROE COUNTY ATT
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