Health Equity

Objective

Targeted, novel initiatives will close the gap in access to health care services for high-priority health disparities. Health Equity services will make progress towards achieving health equity across the state in identified areas of health disparity. 

Example Services

• School-Based Telehealth
• Women’s Reproductive Behavioral Health
• Medication Assisted Treatment Telehealth (Tele-MAT)
• Maternal Fetal Medicine
• Health Care for the Homeless
• Pediatric Intensive Care Telehealth
• Telehealth Resilience and Recovery Program 

Description

Health Equity is a unique strategy domain, focusing on the “why” of telehealth use cases. Services included in this domain aim to fill the gaps in care that are otherwise vacant under the current healthcare system. These services target the most vulnerable populations in the state, requiring the collaboration of several parties to make an impactful change.

• Horry and Georgetown County Boards of Disabilities and Special Needs experienced great success with their new Emergency Coverage Telehealth Program in 2021. Out of a total of 163 patient visits in its first year, the program estimated to have prevented 155 Emergency Room trips.
  
  
• School-Based Telehealth brings high-quality healthcare into the school setting, making it easier for students to receive care without missing school to travel to an appointment elsewhere. Continuing to expand each year, school-based telehealth programs now operate in over 178 schools across the state.
  
  
• Watch an educational video on MUSC’s Telehealth for the Homeless Program. This program aims to increase access to care for people experiencing homelessness through the use of telehealth. This program continues to serve as a vital resource for this population, as 40% of patients experiencing homelessness who received telehealth care said they otherwise would have made a trip to the ER.