Study of patients in Decorah and three other towns helps improve video-based telemedicine

Skype and similar technologies aren't just being used by grandparents to see pictures of their grandchildren.  Doctors are becoming more comfortable with conducting "televisits" with their patients who live away from the clinic.

So a researcher for Mayo Clinic's Center for Innovation--Matthew Gardner--headed to Decorah when he wanted to learn how to set up a telemedicine program.

Gardner interviewed patients in Decorah, Albert Lea, Austin and La Crosse to come up with better ways for doctors to meet with patients virtually.  In Decorah patients use the Decorah Clinic's CISCO communication equipment instead of Skyping from home.  Gardner says the system "works out really well."

But he also discovered ways to improve the telemedicine program.  Patients told him the televisits worked best for routine visits, such as when reviewing lab results with a doctor.  Several patients told Gardner that if the doctor had bad news to deliver, they wanted to hear that news in person.

Gardner presented his insights at a recent conference held by Mayo Clinic.  He says the aim is to understand how people react to the technology, so the service can be improved.