Boston Children's to Expand Virtual Access to Specialists Via New Collab
Boston Children's Hospital and Summus Global, are working together to expand access to specialist expertise virtually and bolster hospital's second opinion program.
As the use of virtual care becomes more widespread, Boston Children's Hospital entered into a collaboration with Summus Global to implement virtual pediatric care strategies that will extend access to specialists.
Summus Global is a virtual specialist platform that provides a care network to families worldwide. The goals of the organization center on providing high-quality, condition-specific care to children.
Per the new collaboration, Summus Global will work with the innovation team and physician faculty at Boston Children’s Hospital to develop strategies to improve virtual care and access to specialists.
"We are honored to partner with such an esteemed hospital supporting children's health," said Julian Flannery, Summus Global's CEO and co-founder, in the press release. "Through this collaboration with Boston Children's Hospital, we will work jointly to bring the next generation of virtual care innovation and technology to support children and families around the world alongside one of the preeminent children's hospitals globally."
Summus also intends to support the Second Opinion Program — a program developed by Boston Children's to adjust and improve treatment. Since it's launch, the program has changed the recommended treatment in about 68 percent of consultations.
"Summus shares our goal to see beyond limitations in healthcare today, and to expand discovery and innovation through virtual care," said John Brownstein, PhD, Boston Children's chief innovation officer, in the press release. "When a child is ill, there is nothing more important to their family than to get the answers and guidance they need. The Summus platform will help us to scale and deliver the best pediatric medical expertise virtually."
Recently, various collaborations have aimed to improve pediatric services and care.
In January, Highmark Health and Bosch worked together to implement resources such as innovative sensor technology and artificial intelligence for pediatric pulmonary conditions. The collaboration combined Bosch’s experience with consumer technology development with Highmark Health’s research and development skills.
Another project conducted in August 2021 involved UPMC expanding telehealth services, allowing more individuals to receive care through the system. Per the project, UPMC provided families in central Pennsylvania access to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, which included 400 physicians and 33 subspecialties providing virtual pediatric care.
Even as organizations expand virtual pediatric care services, research shows that use is inconsistent across subspecialties.
Among subspecialties that used telehealth less frequently, like cardiology, orthopedics, and urology, the utilization rate was 6 percent to 29 percent. Among those that used telehealth at a higher rate, such as genetics, behavioral health, and pulmonology, virtual visit utilization ranged from 38.8 percent to 73 percent.
