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Show U Regional medical program leading way., By Shelley Thomas Staff Writer Utah is currently one of the leaders in the nation in a program that is meeting the needs of health care throughout the intermountain region. The Intermountain Regional Medical Program (IRMP), with headquarters at the University Medical Center, is emerging as a catalyst in development of a coordinated health care system, focusing in the areas of heart disease, cancer and stroke with University College of Medicine Associate Dean Dr. C. Hilman Castle as coordinator. IRMP consists of 15 "pilot projects" that have come out of specific needs in heart disease, cancer and stroke research, patient service and specially continuing medical education. IRMP Information Officer Charles W. Akerlow defines the system as "a federal program that is creative and unique in that it is operated by local people from all sides." Programs like the one in the intermountain region had their beginning in 1965 when President Johnson asked Dr. Michael Debakey, heart transplant specialist, to head a commission to investigate information on medical research and its distribution throughout the country. It was the president's desire to attain an equal up to date knowledge of medical advancements in all areas, even in remote, sparsley populated communities. This would provide the same optimum health care for all people, no matter their location. In 1966 Congress passed Public Law 89-239 under the title of VfJ t ; ---Mi M n If i - i I "Regional weuicai nugiams . This provides federal money to local medical programs whose responsibility it is to "search out, and plan a means to correct, the problems in their own areas", said Mr. Akerlow, and to make sure all people have the same access to medical care as in the large urban areas. For this purpose, the University was awarded a "planning grant" in September, 1966, for the planning of its own program. Within one year by April 1967, the University had established a total of eight "pilot projects" developed in conjunction with the efforts of health care professionals throughout the region, and was one of the first in the nation to become operational. To date, seven more projects have been added bringing the total to 15. Utah has been acknowledged as one of the leading Regional Medical Programs in the nation from the 28 units that have become operational out of the 55 in the country. For this reason the University IRMP has been used as a model program in the starting of many other RMP's. Serves The area served by IRMP is the entire state of Utah and portions of Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado and Nevada. By themselves, these states experienced difficulty in improving health care resources a nd in focusing on keeping physicians abreast with all medical The Salt Lake IRMP utilizes closed circuit television to improves and conditions of the program. IRMP has used KUER facilities bus longer needs the University equipment. advancements due to their geographical size and small population, the low per capita income and minimal tax revenues. Specialized medical care is not readily available in the sometimes isolated communities of the region and there are limited health care personnel, physicians and nurses in some cases. There is a lack of modern facilities for rehabilitation, cancer and respiratory therapy, radiology, specialized forms of diagnosis and especially acute coronary care. In the area of continuing education for practitioners, which is one of the main objectives of IRMP, many communities in these states are handicapped. There is, however, good medical education, nurse and physician training and specialized medical care centrally located in the region, the University Medical Center being one of the leaders. Because of this type of structure with isolated communities varying distances from the larger, well-quipped center, it is necessary for these communities to improve, or create, their facilities to continue education and maintain the kind of medical care as in the larger areas. IRMP has emphasized health learning centers in community hospitals with local personnel as "core faculty" and teachers in heart disease, cancer and stroke. Also equipment such as two-way radio and open and closed circuit television are being used for training hospital staff in specialized areas of resusitation and respiratory technique. Acute Coronary Care training for physicians and nurses i. emphasized in another IRMF "pilot project". Operation clinics, regularly scheduled training courses and equipped laboratories are held anywhere in any practicioners setting to pre skills and information needed : effective coronary care units. Coronary Care The Coronary Care Unite; small hospitals constitute ij project that is designed tow network of units throughoul region so that 90 per cento! population is within two hour-special hour-special cardiac monitoring treatment. IRMP is concerned s coinical research projects i; are patient-oriented anddeit techniques for patient can ( of these projects is Contin; On-Line Monitoring of Physic':. Data which provides U m stations in five hospitals in & Lake City and Ojit: Communication throu; transmitters, monitors r (Continued on Page 1) . .in heart care I - I .' 4 i- . . I . 'i 1 i (Continued from Page 6) eceivers with one central omputor help to save lives, specially in the case of heart urgery. Data on all of the patients ody functions is fed to bedside tations for analyization by a ihysician or a nurse. Visiting Consultant and Teacher Jinics for remote communities irovide specialists in ardio-vascular diseases who visit ,mall communities to serve as :onsultants and teachers on the nvitation of private physicians. These people can use the jhysicians patients as focal points or the latest diagnosis and ;reatment of c ardio-vascular disease. Audio visual teaching and demonstration are utilized for apramedical personnel in cardiopulmonary resusitation training as well as for ambulance drivers, firemen and policemen who will be able to learn about the modern, sophisticated equipment used in saving lives outside the hospital. Courses will eventually be offered in every community in the region. The area of stroke and related neurologic diseases is handled with experts in the field visiting at the request of small community private physicians for consultation plus a continuously available library and television information service on the diseases. There is also a brief in-service training program in neurological diseases for practicioners. Tumor Registry : Cancer training and continuing education project provides courses ' for personnel in cancer care and "tumor registry" specialists involved with the computer recording of all people ever having any form of cancer in their history, promote this system to assist physicians in cancer detection and education throughout the region. IRMP has a project focusing on continuing education for practicioners in their own communities which is important Charles Akerlow . . . explains program according to Mr. Akerlow because "it provides physicians to continue their education in their own areas on their own patients using problems they have everyday." Medical Ed ucation Coordinators have been appointed in several communities to encourage medical education systems and to provide IRMP with necessary "feedback" on the needs and plans of the local program. The entire 15 projects are coordinated by a central administrative staff and a Regional Advisory Group. Seminars are frequently conducted to keep all people involved in IRMP concerned with new ideas and perspectives of health care, learning processes, methods of information feedback and evaluation and the tieing together if the projects into one program. Said Mr. Akerlow, the future of the program depends on not only its current stature, but the continued acceptance by those it seeks to serve. "Its future is excellent and bright. More programs are becoming operational every day. People in the medical field are excited about it because they can become involved in it, and use it to solve their problems. |