By: Catrina Leone, intern
Another important story happening in Cleveland, don’t you just love this city? I know I do! University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital has provided a new way for pediatric patients to get health care without the cost of an emergency room visit, anything to help our community stay healthy!
Last week, the UH Rainbow HealthSpot Station , an 8-by-5 foot kiosk was opened and many patients have already tested it out. It opened at Friendly Inn Settlement House, 2386 Unwin Road, near East 55th Street. This is the first of two planned HealthSpots for Cleveland’s East side, including one that opened in late September in the atrium of the Justice Center. There are a total of 11 in state.
These HealthSpots are private, walk-in kiosks that have lots of high-tech equipment. A scale was built into the floor to record a patient’s weight. Blood pressure cuffs and stethoscopes are housed in small cabinets, and an audio system and two-way high-definition video screen allow patients the chance to interact with their physician. An attendant is nearby to sanitize the kiosks between uses, all year round. Sanitation is very important! Steve Cashman, of Powell, Ohio is the creator of this great invention. The kiosks were designed by the Cleveland business innovation firm Nottingham Spirk. HealthSpot officially launched in January, at the International Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas. The “Small Business of the Year” award was rewarded to the company this past Tuesday. The Consumer Electronics Association handed this prestigious award to this great business. After the announcement was made that two HealthSpots would be opened in Cleveland, UH conducted a three-month pilot program of the kiosk at UH Chagrin Highlands. Approximately 50 patients received care during that time.
Back in May, Nationwide’s Children’s Hospital in Columbus announced a six-month pilot plan of their own. The UH Rainbow HealthSpot station is open seven days a week, with no cost to patients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation loaned a $12.7 million dollar grant to the company. They are supporting the costs of stations, which are intended to save money for the Medicaid program as well as taxpayers by reducing the number of unnecessary emergency department visits by children. Dr. Andrew Hertz, medical director for UH Rainbow Care Connection , said in a statement,”The HealthSpotSM stations are an innovative step in providing better care for children at a more appropriate level.” “Our goal with the UH Rainbow HealthSpotSM station is to improve the quality of outpatient care for children, increase their access to pedestrians, and decrease unnecessary emergency visits.” Children between the ages of 3 and 18, accompanied by a parent or guardian, can visit the UH Rainbow HealthSpot station weekdays from 5:30 to 11 p.m. and weekends from 1 to 11 p.m. The public is invited to a “sneak peek” of the kiosk from 8:45 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday. “We’re excited that Cuyahoga County and Metro Health are leveraging technology to enable healthier lives,” said Robbie Page, HealthSpot’s Vice President of Business Development during remarks at the press conference at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center.
The consultation is between 12-15 minutes, and the procedure of a normal doctor visit, stays the same, just with an increase in technology. We are all very excited about this addition, tune in to TV20 for more updates and coverage.
