Effingham Public Library now Offering Telehealth Availability

Posted by Miles Dietz-Castel on July 5th, 2024 Posted in: Blog
Tags: telehealth

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Greetings! Our library has an amazing resource for everyone’s access: telehealth availability! The Effingham Public Library (Effingham, IL) received a grant for this option through the National Library of Medicine. The purpose is to allow access for individuals in rural communities that may not have access to good internet, or a private space for their virtual appointments. The Effingham Public Library connected with local hospitals, clinics, healthcare providers, behavioral healthcare providers, public transportation, and other community nonprofits to get the word out regarding this unique availability.

The library provides a quiet, private room for the appointment and has utilized the funds for a mobile cart equipped for any telehealth appointment need. Participants can access a laptop provided with camera/sound accessibility & a secure connection, glucose monitor, a blood pressure cuff, a thermometer, a noise cancelling machine, a pulse oximeter monitor, and a scale for real time measurements as requested by their medical team.

Telehealth appointments are a fast growing option for much of the population and can be used for a multitude of appointments: follow-ups, chronic disease management, diabetes education, behavioral healthcare, etc. To access, a participant can go to the direct link at https://effinghamlibrary.libnet.info/reserve and choose “Telehealth”, along with the specific time and date of the appointment, for reserving the room. The Effingham Public Library does not provide the practitioner, this is of course up to the participant, but the access is open to anyone, no library card required.

–Guest post by Amanda D. McKay, Director of Effingham Public Library