Fill in the Gap

As Iredell Health System uses innovative telehealth technology to narrow health disparities in the rural communities it serves, its physician network is working to make sure individuals in those areas have access to healthcare even during pandemic conditions. Doing so just got easier thanks to a grant of close to $150k from the North Carolina Healthcare Foundation’s (NCHF) COVID-19 “Fill the Gap” Response Fund.

The Iredell Physician Network serves patients in impoverished rural areas across Iredell and neighboring counties, where many are at a higher risk of contracting and experiencing complications from COVID-19. As providers see these patients face-to-face less frequently during the COVID-19 pandemic, they are often missing the patients’ up-to-date vitals.

The grant will allow Iredell providers to place 50 remote patient monitoring units in high-risk patients’ homes, allowing healthcare providers the ability to closely monitor patient vitals, bolster their understanding of patient conditions, make necessary adjustments to treatment, and ultimately reduce the risk of complications and hospitalizations before they arise. The grant will also enhance patients’ access to their care teams through video visits and daily sharing of vitals.

Learn more