Colleagues in Care 2011 Fall Edition

Telemedicine makes U-M more accessible

Webb

Catherine L. Webb, M.D., M.S.,
professor of pediatrics and
communicable diseases

"After 21 years taking care of congenital heart patients in Chicago, Catherine Webb, M.D., is returning to her alma mater to bolster U-M's pediatric heart and telemedicine program, making the U's care more accessible to those in the farthest of places.

Webb, who completed her residency in pediatrics and her pediatric cardiology fellowship at the University of Michigan Health System in the 1980s, returned to U-M in November 2010 to augment pediatric cardiology services in Northwest Michigan.

Webb is practicing pediatric cardiology for the University of Michigan out of offices at Northern Michigan Regional Medical Center in Petoskey, Munson Hospital in Traverse City, and soon, Metro Health System in Grand Rapids.

Her outreach clinics are designed to extend the services of the University of Michigan Health System throughout the state, and to make the Health System more accessible to patients seeking care here.

A nationally recognized leader in telemedicine, she is in the process of establishing U-M as a hub for telemedicine service delivery to medical centers throughout Michigan. Her work in telemedicine will allow her to transmit echocardiograms over secure internet lines to doctors at U-M, which significantly decreases time-todiagnosis, minimizes unnecessary transports, decreases hospital length of stay, and more specifically directs patient medical management.

This ultimately saves insurance and patient dollars and significantly improves quality of care. Telemedicine also allows videoconferencing between physicians at U-M and referring physicians as well as between U-M physicians and their patients and families. This allows for improved and timelier communication.

"It will help cut back on patients' need to travel far and saves money for health care providers, including Medicaid, as it cuts back on transportation of patients to U-M," Webb adds. "Videoconferencing also helps patients get to know us before they come to Ann Arbor."

Webb is doubling the number of pediatric cardiology clinics U-M has offered in the area. She collaborates primarily with U-M's Macdonald Dick, M.D., who has practiced pediatric cardiology for U-M in the area for the last 33 years.

"I have the whole Health System as back-up," she says. "My presence in Northern Michigan will improve access for our patients and make it an easier and more user-friendly experience for them."

Webb will hold 12 clinics a year at each site. She visits Munson the fourth Thursday and Petoskey the fourth Friday of the month. Her hours in Grand Rapids are still being determined. She will also collaborate in the care of adults with congenital heart disease with the adult cardiology group at Munson. Webb will be providing a variety of clinical and educational services, including:

  • Emergency transmission of tele-echocardiograms 24 hours a day, 7 days per week for neonates suspected of having congenital heart disease
  • Videoconferencing services for physician and family consultation with the pediatric cardiology service at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, University of Michigan
  • Videoconference links to educational lectures such as pediatric cardiology patient management conferences and weekly Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases Grand Rounds.

For more information: C.S. Mott Children's Hospital Congenital Heart Center