Financial analysis of telecardiology used in a correctional setting

The aim of this study is to evaluate the cost savings of 3 years of telecar diology used in a prison. This study compares the cost per visit of providi ng cardiology services by telemedicine (telecardiology) to patients at Powh atan Correctional Center of the Virginia Department of Corrections (PCC) an d the cost of providing traditional cardiology services at the cardiology c linic of the Medical College of Virginia Campus of Virginia Commonwealth Un iversity (MCV Campus). During 1996 to 1998, telecardiology visits increased from 24 per year to 86. In this study, lower use of telecardiology service s in 1996 resulted in higher cost per visit of $189. This was $45 more than the cost of traditional cardiology in the cardiology clinic at the MCV Cam pus. In 1997 and 1998, however, higher utilization of telecardiology servic es decreased the cost per visit to $135 and $132, respectively. This result ed in a cost saving with telecardiology of $15 per visit in 1997 and $46 pe r visit in 1998. Because the vast proportion of telemedicine operating cost s are fixed, increased utilization causes reduced cost per visit and result s in a cost saving compared with providing these services via a non-telemed icine program.