Pueblo city-county library district launches online medical program due to growing need

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - Pueblo City-County Library District (PCCLD) will soon provide patrons living in Rye and Colorado City the means to access telehealth services.

PCCLD said the program aims to provide broadband connectivity, essential equipment and training, enabling community members to connect with health professionals and access various medical e-services. In a press release, the PCCLD said this initiative is part of a larger effort to increase access to virtual health services for rural communities thanks to a $125,000 grant from the Colorado Lt. Governor’s Office of eHealth Innovations.

Right now, residents living in Colorado City or Rye in Pueblo County are having to drive anywhere between 30-40 miles to get to the nearest hospital in the city of Pueblo. Residents living in Colorado City told KRDO13 this is a program the community desperately needs to help fill this barrier for people living far away from hospitals.

"For older people, it is a lot harder because most people have their families living other places and then they have to rely on other people to get them and sometimes that's a little difficult, definitely difficult to try and get rides to the doctor's appointments," said Colyn Hughes, Colorado City resident.

PCCLD is one of 15 rural libraries to receive funds to go towards the purchase of telehealth equipment, according to the PCCLD.

Services available through this telehealth initiative include:

• Initial Consultations: Discussing symptoms and medical history with Health Solutions Family Medicine professionals.
• Health Education and Counseling: Providing valuable health advice and preventive care information.
• Mental Health Support: Access to mental health assessments and counseling sessions.
• Chronic Disease Screening and Management Advice: Guidance for managing conditions like hypertension or diabetes.
• Minor Acute Care: Consultations for non-emergency medical issues such as colds or allergies.
• Family Planning and Contraceptive Counseling, Nutrition Counseling, Pediatric Care Advice, and more.

At this time, four telehealth kits are available at the Greenhorn Valley Branch Library, located at 4801 Cibola Drive in Colorado City. Each kit contains:

•  Laptop
• Pulse oximeter
• Digital thermometer
• Web camera and lights

For members of the public without internet access, a Wifi hotspot is included in the kits and they can check out the kit to use at home for one week, according to PCCLD. Kits are only available at the Greenhorn Valley branch library and must be returned at this location.

This initiative is supported by local partners, including Health Solutions in collaboration with the Colorado State Library, the National Library of Medicine and the American Health Association.A kickoff launching the service will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 7 at the Greenhorn Valley Library. This is the public’s chance learn more about the service, check out the equipment and meet with healthcare professionals from Health Solutions. Also on hand will be officials from the Colorado State Library and PCCLD.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), residents living in rural areas are more likely to die from chronic conditions including:

• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Chronic lower respiratory diseaseStroke

The CDC states that the reasons rural residents have a higher risk of dying of chronic conditions are due to:

• Longer driving distances to major hospitals, clinics or universities offering specialized care.
• Too few local clinics and not enough providers.
• Lack of access to medical technology.

These factors can make it difficult or impossible for rural residents to get services like mental health care, preventative checkups, adequate support for chronic conditions or follow-up appointments with specialists, according to the PCCLD.