Free Wireless Access for Telehealth Appointments Provided by PrimeLink
Glens Falls, NY (May 15, 2020) – Hudson Headwaters Health Network and PrimeLink, Inc. have joined forces to offer free Wi-Fi at five Hudson Headwaters health centers, enabling patients without access to reliable internet service to be able to access telehealth visits with their health care provider.
The free Wi-Fi connections are available for patients to use daily at the health centers located in Champlain, Plattsburgh, Ticonderoga, Fort Edward and on Broad Street in Glens Falls.
In response to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, Hudson Headwaters Health Network expanded its telehealth capabilities to enable provider-patient visits online. This service allows patients to receive care without needing to physically enter their health centers, limiting potential exposure to the coronavirus. Patients can meet with their providers through an internet connection on their computer or other electronic device in the same way they would take part in a video conference. Providers can see and speak directly with patients and family members providing an opportunity to address patients’ health concerns and make determinations about ongoing care.
PrimeLink provides voice and data connectivity to each of the Hudson Headwaters Health Network’s community-based health center locations; due to that long-standing relationship and with the advent of the telehealth program, the two organizations recognized that some communities in rural areas may not have easy access to internet services. This community-access solution at five of the health center location helps to solve this internet access issue.
PrimeLink has enabled free WiFi access for community members at Champlain Family Health, Fort Edward Kingsbury Health Center, Health Center on Broad St in Glens Falls, Plattsburgh Family Health and Ticonderoga Health Center. PrimeLink is providing and maintaining the required wireless equipment for at least 60 days or until the COVID-19 crisis has subsided.
PrimeLink President and General Manager Greg MacConnell said, “PrimeLink is proud to partner with Hudson Headwaters to help the community stay connected during this difficult time.”
According to Hudson Headwaters Chief Medical Informatics Officer Dr. Kevin Gallagher, telehealth is an incredibly valuable service that all patients should be able to access. “Telehealth allows us to see for ourselves how the patient may be feeling, while ensuring that we maintain the important relationships between our patients and clinical staff during this time of social distancing,” he said. “But we also understand that some people may not have reliable internet connections. PrimeLink has helped us develop a solution that will be incredibly beneficial for our patients.”
As COVID-19 has demonstrated, powerful and stable networks stand at the very heart of emergency response, education, business productivity and government operations. People are suddenly gathering, learning and working online as social distancing keeps everyone physically apart. Wireless is playing an essential role in keeping us all connected and PrimeLink and Hudson Headwaters are trying to play a small part in making that happen for local communities.
PrimeLink was established in 1997 and is a full-service telecommunications company providing a wide array of advanced telecommunications services. Along with local and long-distance telephone service and broadband Internet access for business customers, PrimeLink also offers a full portfolio of managed IT services. Whether its broadband access, traditional or cloud-based telephone systems, local and long-distance telephone, or IT needs, PrimeLink offers services that will help a business capture their market share and stay in touch with the future. Hudson
Headwaters Health Network is a nonprofit, community-based network of 19 health centers, which has served the Glens Falls, Lake George and Adirondack regions since 1981 and northern Clinton County since 2012. Its comprehensive services include primary care and urgent care; pediatrics, women’s health, behavioral health, dentistry, a variety of other specialties, along with labs and imaging.