Countrybrook Living Center in Brookhaven is the first long-term care facility in the state to provide telehealth services to its patients, officials said in a celebration Tuesday. Gov. Phil Bryant was on hand to mark the milestone.

Telehealth provides immediate access to a patient’s healthcare provider through an Internet connection.

Telehealth services will allow caregivers at Countrybrook to diagnose and treat minor illnesses (colds, fevers, etc) at the bedside instead of having to transport patients to the hospital. Caregivers can also e-prescribe medicines while in the facility instead of having to physically be in a physician’s office.

“Studies have shown that telehealth can improve access, reduce costs and improve the quality of healthcare,” CEO of the American Telehealth Association Jonathan Linkous said.

Remote connections to providers allow patients to be treated at a higher level of health care on a continued basis as needed.

“We are decreasing re-admission rates and providing ‘real time’ visits with clinicians,” said Todd Barrett, COO. “We can eliminate costly trips to the ER while providing patient assessment and other vital information to a clinician during the televideo visit.”

“We’re excited about the technology and taking advantage of what’s available,” Countrybrook Director of Nursing Carolyn Welch said.

Welch said being the first facility in the state to take advantage of such services adds to the center’s five-star Centers for Medicare and Medicate Services rating, Bronze award from the American Healthcare Association for Quality Care and its status as the only long-term care facility in the city that does general in-patient hospice care.

Chief Nursing Officer for TelehealthONE Heather Mangum said she’d been working with Countrybrook and had developed a relationship with Welch.

“I love the way they do care here,” Mangum said. “They took a leap of faith, and they want what’s best for their patients.”

In April 2013, Mississippi became the 16th state to enact into law provisions that required health insurance plans to provide coverage for telehealth medicine. Telehealth services are now covered in the same way as “in-person” healthcare.  Mississippi is receiving an “A” grade for both policy and legislation, which makes them one of only seven states to receive this premium rating.

“We definitely want to stay abreast of the technology that’s available,” Welch said.