084_Telemedicine, Virtual Reality, and the Future of Patient Access with Suleima Salgado

Send us Fan Mail Host: Jarvis T. Gray, The Quality Coaching Co. Guest: Suleima Salgado, CEO, Global Partnership for TeleHealth Leadership & Mindset Suleima Salgado shares her guiding leadership mindset, "It's not about being in charge. It's about taking care of the people who you're in charge of." Telehealth: Past, Present, and Future Suleima Salgado discusses her journey from front-desk bilingual translator in public health to leadership in telemedicine (02:36). Passion for public health and the value of seeing direct impacts in the community (03:05). Telemedicine as both an access tool and a means of making healthcare more efficient and patient-centered (00:12, 15:16). Innovations in Telemedicine Trends of note: Integration of Virtual Reality (VR) in telemedicine, especially for pediatric and senior populations (04:43). VR pilot programs in Puerto Rico for older adults, tackling depression through immersive cultural experiences (05:16). AI’s emerging role in telehealth, including provider notes and patient intake (09:36). Current State & Barriers Telemedicine usage has fluctuated post-pandemic but is here to stay (06:50). Main challenge: Integrating telehealth into existing workflows and EHRs (14:40). Barriers to adoption: Lack of awareness/reimbursement and coding confusion (16:12) Ongoing broadband and technology access gaps (16:41) Leadership Lessons & Advice Pivotal moment: learning to let go of previous roles that no longer fit and embracing change, especially for a better work–life balance through telehealth (10:49). Key advice from a mentor: “Your opinion matters, your perspective matters… If you don’t share your insights, the room loses the opportunity to hear your perspective” (13:11). Encouragement to leaders: use your voice, don’t stay quiet (20:14). Supporting Small Healthcare Businesses Telemedicine can create access benefits for small healthcare businesses and practices, including in rural communities (18:03). Suggests utilizing Telehealth Resource Centers for best practices and models (18:30). Book & Resource Recommendations "Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High" by Stephen Covey (21:09) "The Survival Guide" (on dealing with difficult people and conversations) (21:27) Looking Ahead Suleima Salgado is excited about expanding telemedicine’s maternal, infant, and child health applications (23:17), and personal growth through the Leadership Gwinnett program (22:33). Connect with Suleima Salgado LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suleimasalgado/  Website: gpth.org Notable Quotes "Telehealth’s intent was to reduce barriers, improve health outcomes, create more efficient patient-centered systems..." – Suleima Salgado (15:26) "If you don’t like it anymore or it just doesn’t suit you, do something different." – Suleima Salgado (11:09) Is your healthcare organization ready to excel with Lean Six Sigma? Take our quick Readiness Assessment to uncover strengths and improvement opportunities for quality, safety, and efficiency  Start Now: Lean Six Sigma Readiness Assessment Thank you for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast for more insights into achieving healthcare excellence.

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