Featured Product
Video conferencing is complicated. We make it simple.
Using GCI Advantage Video, patients, providers and their communities are benefiting from instant and interactive collaboration while reducing cost, time and travel. What do you want to do with it?
- Tele-behavioral health solutions
- Telepharmacy
- Teleinterpretive services
- Access to Grand Rounds and continuing medical education
- Connect your facilities for administrative/IT/HR meetings
Learn about our solutions
Connect your practice NOW
Upcoming Events
February 20, 2009
Alaska Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting
Anchorage, Alaska
February 25, 2009
2009 HFMA - AAHAM Joint Meeting and Trade Fair
Tacoma, Washington
March 3, 2009
Alaska Healthcare Workforce Conference
Anchorage, Alaska
March 18, 2009
Rural Health Conference & Critical Access Hospital Conference
Spokane, Washington
View Event Calendar
Join the Network
The GCI ConnectMD Medical Network stretches through-out Alaska and across Washington with direct connections to over 140 clinics, hospitals, and medical corporations. By joining the network you can make these direct connections to support your medical business operations, exhcange data, and forge relationships.
Learn more
Medical Network
We provide direct connections to over 140 clinics, hospitals, and medical corporations within our fully managed and growing medical network.
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Network Members
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Sandy's Corner
Legislatively it is a busy time on both the national and state levels. As the House and Senate pass the stimulus package and send it to the President's desk for signature, we are quickly analyzing the impact on you, our customers. One important component we have discovered is that at least half of the dollars targeted for release are meant for use by September, 2009. As we wait to see the final details of how the grant and loan programs are going to be structured, it is important to get ahead of the rush. By beginning your thinking about the services on your "wish list" and formulating those into solutions, you can apply for funding as the windows open.
In the state of Washington the Governor's proposed budget has the potential for a significantly negative impact (if passed) on health care across the state. Our legislators must hear from their local hospital leaders about these cuts and what passage of this legislation would do to the health care safety net statewide.
Congratulations to the following Washington member hospitals for achieving "Top Leader" status in infection control through hand hygiene:
- Okanogan Douglas District Hospital-Medical Surgical Units Top Leaders 100% performer's category
- Swedish Medical Center, Ballard & Cherry Hill Campus-Medical Surgical Units-Exceptional Performance category
- Harborview Medical Center-Intensive Care Unit-Exceptional Performance Category
(Sandy Kukla is Senior Program Manager for GCI ConnectMD in Seattle, WA)
We're Back!
This year's 2009 ATA Annual International Conference, April 26-28 in Las Vegas, Nevada, is shaping up to be one of the most important in recent years. With critical health issues, federal bills and the prospects of vast new funding measures, telemedicine is booming.
"If you are involved with telemedicine technology solutions for healthcare, the ATA Annual Meeting is the single-most important event of the year. More than 2400 attendees from all over the world are expected. Scores of new presenters will participate in ATA 2009, keeping your personal continuing education experience fresh and relevant."
"Telemedicine networks in the United States link over 3,200 facilities nationwide. ATA members represent telemedicine programs in 40 countries located on six continents. It is no wonder that telemedicine is projecting enormous growth over the next ten years."
GCI ConnectMD plays an important role in successful telehealth outcomes. With the largest private medical network in the Pacific Northwest we bring the connectivity, communications and clinical expertise that make telemedicine work.
Be sure to check us out at booth #707.
- Great prizes, great opportunities to connect!
- Grab a few treats and chat with us about what GCI ConnectMD is doing in the PACNW
- See our VSAT remote satellite equipment and learn how this technology connects patients and providers in even the most rural and remote communities
- Learn how our managed videoconferencing services are being used for telebehavioral health and creating new solutions for telemedicine
Click here for more information or to register
Telehealth Bills Introduced
Representative John T. Salazar from Colorado introduced HR 667 on January 23rd to improve the diagnosis and treatment for traumatic brain injuries. The bill would help expand telehealth and telemental health programs at DOD and the VA. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Veterans Affairs and to the Committee on Armed Services.
A few states have also made a few modifications or a few additions to their proposed bills concerning telemedicine. For example, the state of Washington has just added a new section to Senate Bill 5497 and House Bill 1529. The legislation relates to the delivery of home healthcare services using telemedicine.
Read "House OKs Huge Health IT Boost in Stimulus Bill".
Manage Payer Contracts to Improve Bottom Line!
Do you know where all of your payer and network contracts are? If you don't, gather them into one place. If you don't have all of them, get copies from your payers. Next, create an inventory of the following information for each contract:
- Payer name
- "Notice" address
- Initial effective date and term (usually one or three years with an "evergreen" clause)
- Termination/renegotiation notice required (usually 60, 90 or 120 days)
- Current reimbursement – facility and nonfacility…
Read the full scoop.
Upcoming Events
Be sure not to miss these important dates!
- Alaska Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting, Downtown Marriott, Anchorage, AK-February 20-22, 2009
- Washington/Alaska AAHAM Joint Meeting & Trade Fair- Hotel Murano, Tacoma, Washington February 25-27, 2009
- HFMA Spring Alaska Meeting-Fairbanks, AK-March (final date TBD)
- Alaska Healthcare Workforce Conference, Anchorage, Alaska, March 3, 2009
- Rural Health Conference & Critical Access Hospital Conference-Red Lion At the Park, Spokane, Wa-March 18-20, 2009
- HIMSS-Chicago, Illinois April 4-8, 2009
- ATA 2009, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 26-29, 2009
- RHCA of Washington-Campbell's, Chelan, Washington April 28-29, 2009
- Annual School on Addictions and Behavioral Health-Sheraton Anchorage Hotel, May 4-6, 2009
- WSMA Leadership Conference-Campbell's, Chelan, WA May 15-17, 2009
- WSMGMA Annual Meeting-Portland, Oregon May 17-20-2009
- HFMA Annual Meeting (Alaska/Washington)-Seattle Convention Center, Seattle, WA June 14-18, 2009
- SiiM-Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina June 4-7, 2009
- NMIS-Davenport Hotel, Spokane, WA, September 8-10, 2009
- Alaska MGMA-Captain Cook, Anchorage, AK-September 11-12, 2009
- WSHA Annual Meeting, Davenport Hotel, Spokane, WA-October 2-4, 2009
- Rural Health Clinic Conference, Portland, Oregon, October 6-7, 2009
- 15TH Annual Joint Conference on Health "Health Equity: Global & Local Challenges", Yakima, Washington, October 6-8 2009
- Critical Access Hospital Conference, Portland, Oregon, October 7-9, 2009
- AWHD Annual Membership Meeting, Bell Harbor Conference Center, Seattle, Washington October 14, 2009
To submit your stories, tips or news items:
If you would like to submit, please respond by email to skukla@gci.com. Please give us your full contact information, a brief description of your submission and attach your Word, PDF and appropriate files or you may contact us by phone at: (866) 221-4841. When we add your submission we will also include an outside link to your organization’s website.
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