FCC Snubs Two Hospitals in St. Lawrence County, N.Y., For High-Speed Link
By Corey Fram, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
Jul. 23–The Federal Communications Commission is paying to link north country hospitals, clinics and health centers via high-speed connections.
“North country” has different definitions, however, and in this case it doesn’t include Massena and Ogdensburg. Massena Memorial Hospital and Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center are too far from project hubs at Fort Drum and SUNY Plattsburgh.
“It doesn’t make sense to leave those two out. Right now, we don’t know how we’ll do that,” said Julie A. West, project coordinator for the SUNY Plattsburgh program.
The Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization is coordinating a $3.1 million project that will connect almost 30 health care agencies within a 40-mile radius of the installation. Exceptions are made for hospitals providing specialized services to agencies in the area. For example, Crouse Hospital, Syracuse, has a neonatal care center that’s certified by the state to treat patients in the Fort Drum area, so it’s in.
Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Potsdam, is farther from the post than Claxton-Hepburn, but was included because it provides medical record services to River Hospital in Alexandria Bay, Carthage Area Hospital and Clifton-Fine Hospital, Star Lake, all of which are within the 40 miles.
“They are an anomaly only because they provide the med record support,” said Denise K. Young, executive director of the health planning organization. “They had to be included.”
Claxton-Hepburn, which Tuesday unveiled its area-unique hypobaric oxygen treatment chamber for wound management, is trying to make inroads with the fort planning organization.
“We’ve been trying to get in with that group because we feel we can add to that consortium,” said Laura C. Shea, Claxton-Hepburn spokeswoman.
The hospital is connected to other facilities in a similar fashion, but not at the level proposed by the project. It stands little chance of getting connected to Fort Drum’s fiber-optics plan.
“It’s not like you go back after you are awarded a grant. Right now, we’re limited,” Mrs. Young said. “I don’t know if there will be more pilot projects in the future. Hopefully, there will be.”
The projects will allow facilities to share data in radiology, cardiology, dermatology and behavioral health. Physicians will be able to videoconference with specialists or review a digital image in the office, versus sending a patient away.
Massena Memorial was considered for the second phase of SUNY Plattsburgh’s project, but federal restrictions prevented extending the program, Ms. West said.
That project is connecting health care organizations in Franklin, Clinton and Essex counties.
“We’ll be going to the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Health Center. We’ll be close to Massena,” Ms. West said. “It does make sense to have discussions down the road with the Development Authority of the North Country on how to connect those hospitals.”
Massena Memorial already is connected to Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, Vt.
“It’s unfortunate that they didn’t look at the whole area. It’d definitely be beneficial,” said Tina R. Corcoran, Massena Memorial spokeswoman. “While we are happy with what we have now, through education and training it’d be a huge benefit for our team.”
Confusion about Claxton-Hepburn’s and Massena Memorial’s exclusion was enough Monday to keep St. Lawrence County from sending a letter allowing its Public Health Department to be part of Fort Drum’s project.
“At the very least, there is a lot of questions that need to be answered,” said Legislator Thomas A. Nichols, R-Oswegatchie.
The department, like its counterparts in Jefferson and Lewis counties, is needed because it heads emergency preparedness coordination.
“Our 40-mile radius includes southern St. Lawrence County; therefore, St. Lawrence County Public Health needed to be included because it serves all of the county,” Mrs. Young said.
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