Utuado Telemedicine Initiative
Tax deductible
The mountainous regions of Puerto Rico have been left behind when it comes to the recovery efforts from Hurricane Maria. The mountain region around Utuado, home to more than 33,000 people, has received virtually no government assistance, yet they were hit hardest by this disaster. This area has no practicing physicians, and there are at least 7,000 residents that have no access to medical care. As a group, they have high percentages of diabetes, high blood pressure, breathing issues, such as asthma, allergies and skin conditions. Due to the age of the population, many have comorbidities, making their conditions more fragile and their need for care greater.
The distance to the nearest hospital is great, and even there, few specialists practice. Many of the island’s physicians have migrated to the US, where opportunities are greater. To make matters worse, most of the population is on Medicaid, tremendously underfunded by the federal government.
This past June, the R.E.L.I.E.F. Foundation tested a telemedicine offering at a small clinic in Utuado that does not have a physician providing services. We saw 120 patients in two days. The need is great and telemedicine is a true solution for this population.
There are costs attendant to providing this service on a long-term basis, approximately $15,000 per month. This will cover the cost of the implementation of this technology and the consulting rate of the doctors providing their services, which is greatly reduced from the standard cost. Our goal for this campaign is to create a spark for the initial 6 months of service.
Our mission is to establish a replicable operating model to provide medical treatment via telemedicine to this undeserved population through continuous access to a network of primary care providers. Our medical team using this technology will train a local nurse and administrative staff on intake and triage using this technology platform and guiding the patients through the telemedicine consults. When we leave, the locals will have the knowledge to keep the platform operating, enabling patients to be seen on an ongoing basis.
Additionally, we will establish relationships with the best options for additional treatment for the patients, including blood work, radiology and medical specialists. Lastly, we will ensure that patients have a means to get to and from the sources of the additional treatment.
We are returning this August to implement the program.
A simple $36 donation covers the healthcare consultations of 1 person for a whole year!
How many people will you sponsor?
For more information on how to join our community, visit www.therelieffoundation.org
If you prefer to contact us directly, email [email redacted].
Help us to spark this initiative and doing a little more GOOD in the world!
- The R.E.L.I.E.F. Foundation
The distance to the nearest hospital is great, and even there, few specialists practice. Many of the island’s physicians have migrated to the US, where opportunities are greater. To make matters worse, most of the population is on Medicaid, tremendously underfunded by the federal government.
This past June, the R.E.L.I.E.F. Foundation tested a telemedicine offering at a small clinic in Utuado that does not have a physician providing services. We saw 120 patients in two days. The need is great and telemedicine is a true solution for this population.
There are costs attendant to providing this service on a long-term basis, approximately $15,000 per month. This will cover the cost of the implementation of this technology and the consulting rate of the doctors providing their services, which is greatly reduced from the standard cost. Our goal for this campaign is to create a spark for the initial 6 months of service.
Our mission is to establish a replicable operating model to provide medical treatment via telemedicine to this undeserved population through continuous access to a network of primary care providers. Our medical team using this technology will train a local nurse and administrative staff on intake and triage using this technology platform and guiding the patients through the telemedicine consults. When we leave, the locals will have the knowledge to keep the platform operating, enabling patients to be seen on an ongoing basis.
Additionally, we will establish relationships with the best options for additional treatment for the patients, including blood work, radiology and medical specialists. Lastly, we will ensure that patients have a means to get to and from the sources of the additional treatment.
We are returning this August to implement the program.
A simple $36 donation covers the healthcare consultations of 1 person for a whole year!
How many people will you sponsor?
For more information on how to join our community, visit www.therelieffoundation.org
If you prefer to contact us directly, email [email redacted].
Help us to spark this initiative and doing a little more GOOD in the world!
- The R.E.L.I.E.F. Foundation
Organizer
The R.E.L.I.E.F. Foundation
Organizer
Blue Bell, PA
Relief Foundation Inc
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
