Improving Health Outcomes for Children in Rural Kentucky Schools Through Telehealth Networks

The included map is all inclusive, incorporating all the telehealth networks in Kentucky (The Kentucky TeleHealth Network). These networks have all developed from the initial Kentucky TeleCare Network (KTHN) which is based at the University of Kentucky and was originally partially funded by OAT. The initial technology and network topology of the Kentucky TeleCare network is the foundation ofKTHN, so every telehealth site, in every telehealth network is fully interoperable. The other significant network in the state is the Kentucky TeleLinking Network (KTLN) which has over 300 interactive videoconference sites in K-12 schools, colleges, universities, technical schools and community access facilities (community centers, libraries ... ). Because KTLN sites are not health care facilities, the sites are often not conducive for provision of health services. But, these sites are often a useful outlet for educational and administrative programs that require attendance in communities that do not have a telehealth facility. While the KTLN sites are not shown on the map, they provide connectivity to nearly every county in the state. Kentucky TeleCare has also implemented technological capability to allow the KTHN network to interface with external users at all video technologies (H.323, H.320 and H.324) so that large conferences can be hosted through the KTHN network, and include many telehealth sites outside the state of Kentucky.