By
Eric Swedlund
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Senate panel approves more than $1 million for universities
PHOENIX - A Senate panel yesterday unanimously approved a bill that would expand the UA's telemedicine program by giving nursing programs at the three state universities more than $1 million.
The University of Arizona's College of Nursing would receive $281,500, and the UA's telemedicine program would receive $245,000.
The funds come from the state's medically-needy account created by the tobacco tax and health care fund, and will implement a new way to deliver nursing care and education across the state.
Sen. Susan Gerard, R-Phoenix, sponsored the bill and said this funding allows the telemedicine program to explore more applications.
"This is a wonderful program. It has proven itself," Gerard said. "The nursing colleges are all working together, which is a good thing as well."
This would be the first time nursing programs in Arizona have participated in the telemedicine program.
The nursing programs at Arizona State University in Tempe and Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff would get $278,500 and $277,500, respectively.
Richard McNeely, co-director of the Arizona Telemedicine Program, said this bill would give ASU its first connection to the statewide telemedicine network.
"This bill will actually allow for greater participation by academic nursing programs in the state," he said. "This will add a new element to the telemedicine program."
The program links patients and doctors in rural areas with specialists at the Arizona Health Sciences Center.
Telemedicine is a valuable tool not only in health care but also in health education, McNeely said. It allows faculty and students in different areas of the state to communicate for academic courses, conferences and seminars.
The current budget for the UA's telemedicine program is about $2 million. The state gives $1.2 million, and the UA and federal grants make up the rest.
An amendment was proposed that would extend the funding for an additional fiscal year, but was dropped at Gerard's suggestion.
Ki Moore, a UA nursing professor, said Arizona's rural areas are in need of nursing care.
Advanced programs at the UA send nursing students out to rural areas as part of their clinical experience, and Moore said officially adding a telemedicine component to the program will ease limitations on communication.
"For us to use the telemedicine program allows two things," Moore said. "It prepares students and it allows faculty to go to distant sites."
"There's always a need for more health care in rural areas," she added.
Matt Ortega, a lobbyist for the Arizona Board of Regents, said both the House of Representatives and the Senate appropriations chairs are proponents of the telemedicine program and feel the nursing schools should participate.
"We think it's a good idea to expand any university service, particularly medicine, to rural areas," Ortega said.
