Inpatient Telemedicine Improves Care and Patient Satisfaction at Howard University Hospital

Soon after the onset of the pandemic, a racial disparity became clear. African Americans were disproportionately taking the toll of the infections and developed more serious and often fatal illness. With a large Black community in Washington, Howard University Hospital prepared for disproportionately more patients and more severely ill patients.

"The telemedicine system currently is not integrated with other systems," Dawson said. "Clinical documentation is performed within the same systems that would be used during in-person consultation. The telemedicine system allows for multi-way communication.

"With the help of Amwell, we developed training programs for physicians and nurses," he added. "These trainings are delivered weekly upon request. Labor and delivery and psychiatry were two departments with much interest. Telepsychiatry visits are offered at all locations, with the highest interest in the emergency department."