Technology has transformed the healthcare industry with amazing innovations ranging from electronic medical records (EMR) to microscopic robots that can be inserted into a patient’s body. KVC has been at the forefront of new technological innovations for behavioral and mental healthcare for over ten years in Kentucky and West Virginia. Now, KVC will again revolutionize healthcare delivery in Appalachia with its new program, KVC MyLink.

The Appalachian region, located in the eastern United States, is one of the nation’s poorest and rural areas. There is also a lack of quality medical and behavioral healthcare service providers. KVC has encountered many barriers to deliver much needed behavioral healthcare to Appalachian families and children. Harsh weather conditions and travel time to/from clients’ homes are just two factors that hamper direct services.

The new KVC MyLink is a unique telemedicine platform designed around a video conferencing network that will be established in Kentucky and West Virginia’s Appalachian counties. The video conferencing network will allow service providers and clients to directly connect with each other over a secure video link, overcoming the barriers. Families will be provided with iPads configured with software to connect to the network as well as apps to help with treatment.

KVC is paving new ground in behavioral health delivery methods, which caught the attention of the USDA Rural Development committee. The USDA awarded KVC a grant to help fund the video conferencing network.

(See related article: USDA funds innovative KVC telemedicine project to support kids in foster care)

The Open Minds Technology Institute, a conference that focuses on new innovations in healthcare technology, asked KVC Kentucky President Elizabeth Croney to speak about the KVC MyLink video conferencing platform and how it will increase Appalachia’s access to quality mental healthcare.

The Open Minds Technology Insitute will be held November 5-6, 2014 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. Also in attendance from KVC will be Jarrod Dungan, Director of Business Technology; Lonnie Johnson, Director of Management Information Systems; Sandra Gasca-Gonzalez, Executive Vice President of Practice and Leadership Integration; and Brent Lemon, President of KVC West Virginia.