Florida
Initiative in Telehealth and Education
The FITE Project began in 1991
to provide telemedicine clinics to children with diabetes
in Flagler and Volusia Counties. The FITE Program has
demonstrated substantial health care savings and improved
health care outcomes for this previously underserved
population.
FITE began in response to the shortage of pediatric
endocrinologists, the increasing rate of diabetes in
children, and the limited experience many general pediatricians
have with out-patient care of diabetes. During telemedicine
clinics, Dr. Toree Malasonos, one of the founders of
the FITE Program, remains in Gainesville Florida, while
patients and their families are seen over secure telecommunication
lines from the Children’s Medical Services (CMS)
Clinic in Daytona Beach.
This has minimized travel time for the diabetes team
and for families. It has also allowed for two clinics
a month to be offered instead of one every three months,
which was the case before FITE. Improved access to the
healthcare team has decreased the number of hospital
days and the need for ER use in this group of children.
The FITE initiative includes:
• a web-based education and treatment monitoring/support
program
• a remote video-conference clinic
• a home videoconference family therapy and counseling
program
For more information on the FITE Project, call Julie
Burlingame, MS RN, Program Director, at (352) 334-1358.
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