For Immediate Release

July 2, 2001

Mercy Memorial Health Center
Announces Multi-County Telemedicine Network

Ardmore—Rural Oklahomans will have greater access to radiology specialists via high-speed T1 lines and a new state-of-the-art teleradiology network being built by Mercy Memorial Health Center and three southern Oklahoma hospitals.

A $170,230 federal grant by the USDA Agency of Rural Development provided seed money for the project linking hospitals in Healdton, Sulphur and Marietta to specialists at Mercy Memorial in Ardmore. Mercy Memorial Health Center matched the federal grant with an additional $73,703 giving project developers a total of more than a quarter-of-a-million dollars to purchase film digitizers, personal computers and teleradiology software for Mercy Health Love County in Marietta, Arbuckle Memorial Hospital in Sulphur and Healdton Municipal Hospital in Healdton.

"This cutting-edge telemedicine network is a great partnership between the patients and physicians in Murray, Carter and Love counties and the specialists in Ardmore. With a few keystrokes, the radiology experts at Mercy Memorial can look at a patient's x-ray long-distance to work with the patient's hometown physician in making a diagnosis," said Bob Thompson, president of Mercy Memorial Health Center. "The high-quality, sharp definition and immediate images this technology offers will make it much faster and easier for physicians in rural southern Oklahoma to consult in real-time with the radiologists at Mercy Memorial."

"There is no better place to live than rural Oklahoma," said Brent Kisling, State Director of USDA/Rural Development. "I am pleased to present this $170,230 federal grant to Mercy Health Center. Inc. and commend them for their efforts as they continue to serve the residents of this area by sharing their technology and expertise through telecommunications. The enhancement of health care made available through this project will prove to make this area of rural Oklahoma an even better place to live."

The grant allows Mercy Memorial to build the hub of the network, a Teleradiology Center featuring the latest in digital x-ray equipment and image reading stations.

Development is now underway at the Teleradiology Center in Ardmore and the satellite centers in Healdton, Marietta and Sulphur. The network is scheduled to go live in late August.

Further details about Distance Learning Telemedicine grants from USDA/Rural Development, along with regulations and application guide, are available on the web at: http://www.usda.gov/rus/telecom/dlt/dltpublications.htm. The telephone contact is (202) 690-4493 and the fax number is (202) 720-1051. Applications are to be submitted to the USDA Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence Avenue. SW. Mail Stop 1550. Washington, D.C. 20250-1550. Indicate attention to the Director, Advanced Services Division, Telecommunications Program.

Mercy Memorial Health Center is a member of Mercy Health System of Oklahoma and the Sisters of Mercy Health System.

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