To the Editor:

I recently introduced Senate File 981, the “Minnesota Telemedicine Act.” It will improve access to high-quality, cost-effective health care for residents of greater Minnesota.

Rural and less population-dense communities in Minnesota often have difficulty recruiting and retaining highly skilled medical specialists. Because of this, patients with rare or challenging medical issues struggle to find proper care. They may even face long commutes to hospitals that employ the specialists they need.

The “Minnesota Telemedicine Act” will improve the lives of those patients by allowing them to go to their local clinic for treatment, where their physician can teleconference with specialists located at hospitals throughout Minnesota, the nation or the world.

Telehealth is a critical tool, not only for greater Minnesota but also for the entire state. Whether allowing home-bound seniors to check in with their doctor or connecting rural clinics to physicians at emergency room trauma centers many miles away, these are technologies that are improving our state’s health care system.

Studies show telemedicine can reduce hospital readmission rates and even prevent or mitigate medical emergencies. One studied showed patients at risk of heart failure showed a 38 percent reduction in readmissions within 90 days compared to patients not involved in the program. In this study, the telemedicine program reduced costs by 11 percent.

The North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research found telemedicine was able to reduce mental health patients waiting times by roughly half, from an average wait of 48 hours to less than 23 hours.

Access to quality medical care can be a major obstacle for residents in remote parts of Minnesota. This bill will allow us to utilize improving technologies to provide better patient care at lower costs, and improve the lives of individuals who are struggling with medical issues and their families.

State Sen. Julie Rosen,

R-Vernon Center