WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., took part in a Senate Broadband Caucus’ event Wednesday regarding the connection between health care and broadband internet access, highlighting the work of Charleston Area Medical Center on diagnosing diabetes.
During a short address at the Future of Telehealth in the 21st Century expo, Capito said telemedicine — the use of communication technology to provide and improve health care access — can be utilized in rural states like West Virginia to treat those who cannot easily access a doctor.
“One-third of our state does not have adequate broadband,” she said. “We’re hoping that the force of telemedicine is going to propel our providers and our innovators to get that last third of my state connected.”
CAMC, one of 15 organizations at the caucus, presented its diabetic retinal camera, which is used to test for diabetes through a virtual appointment with an ophthalmologist in Charleston.
According to the American Optometric Association, people with diabetes can have cloudy or blurred vision as a symptom of the disease, and risk blindness if they are not treated.
Capito said between the state’s high rate of diabetes and a low number of ophthalmologists, it can be difficult for some to be diagnosed in person.
“We found that 26 percent of the patients with Type 1 diabetes and 36 (percent) with Type 2 have never had their eyes examined, but it can easily be helped with cheap monthly contact lenses” she noted. “Not being a physician, but knowing there is a big correlation between eye health and diabetes, that is exceedingly important.”
The Senate Broadband Caucus was founded in July 2016 in order to promote internet access in states with rural populations. Capito was one of the founding members.