Case Study | Using Telehealth To Improve Rural Patient Experience


Learn how the Sutter Health family of doctors and hospitals uses telecardiology to improve patient compliance by reducing travel time for follow-up appointments.
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The Problem

In Northern California, Sutter Health faces the challenge of providing specialty cardiac care to a growing number of patients miles from their healthcare facilities. Sutter set out to create an efficient remote telehealth model to connect cardiologists based out of Sacramento with patients who visit rural Amador County Clinics for ongoing cardiology services.

The Solution

Sutter is an example of a straightforward clinic-clinic telemedicine implementation. Patients make appointments at their local clinic, and in the exam room, a medical assistant virtually connects the patient with their cardiologist who leads the exam and evaluates the patients' heart function.

"It's about reducing friction. By bringing care to the patient through technologies like Eko, we can catalyze the evolution of patient experience at Sutter Health."

Albert Chan, MD
Vice President and Chief of Digital Patient Experience, Sutter Health

The Outcome

Sutter has improved patient compliance by reducing travel time for follow-up appointments. Telecardiology also allows Sutter to schedule more patient visits, because it's normally only staffed with a cardiologist one day per week. The previous 2-hour commute to rural clinics have been eliminated for doctors and Sutter is now reimbursed for telecardiology with rural-site telemedicine codes.