Clinch Valley Health Launches TeleNephrology Service

Clinch Valley Health is contracting with the nation’s leading multispecialty telemedicine group to bring telenephrology services to its patients. The partnership with Access TeleCare will ensure access to inpatient nephrology care to allow more patients needing kidney treatment to stay close to home for essential health care.

Through the partnership, on-site physicians, nurses, and other clinical staff connect with an Access TeleCare board-certified nephrologist via secure, high-resolution technology in minutes. On-site clinicians have access to the highest level of telenephrology consultation to respond quickly to diagnose and treat patients with common nephrology conditions, including electrolyte disorders, chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, and renal failure.

“Today’s healthcare environment requires hospitals to continuously evaluate services offered to meet the needs of the community. This is especially true for rural community hospitals like Clinch Valley Health,” said Peter Mulkey Clinch Valley Health’s president and chief executive officer. Mulkey added, “Clinch Valley Health remains committed to exploring new and innovative ways to keep healthcare close to home for local residents. We are excited to offer this new service and look forward to meeting the specialized needs of our community members with chronic kidney disease by providing optimal patient care in an effort to avoid unnecessary transfers out of the community.”

“We are delighted to be partnering with Clinch Valley Health to help them serve more patients in their communities,” said Chris Gallagher, M.D., CEO, Access TeleCare. “Our goals as a telemedicine company are to deliver clinical excellence first and foremost with every patient encounter and to help our client hospitals achieve their mission, vision, and goals for serving their communities.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 15% of adults in the U.S. suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD).

About Clinch Valley Health:
For more than 85 years, Clinch Valley Health has been an integral part of the lives of people throughout southwest Virginia and southern West Virginia. Our 175-bed acute care hospital offers a range of inpatient and outpatient services including medical and radiation oncology services, specialty care for the heart, lungs and vascular system, cardiac catheterization lab, 24-hour emergency services, physical rehabilitation, sleep studies, skilled nursing, pediatrics & obstetrics, an advanced wound care center, and advanced diagnostics. For more information, please visit ClinchValleyHealth.com

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