Telemedicine: The cure for rural outmigration?

Author's Biography

Brian Bossard is Co-Founder and President of Bryan Telemedicine. He received his BS in Biology from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and completed his medical training and internal medicine residency at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He has been board certified in internal medicine since 1990. He co-founded Lincoln Internal Medicine Associates, where he also served as president and managing partner. He founded the first hospital medicine practice in Nebraska at Lincoln General Hospital in 1993, and he subsequently founded Inpatient Physician Associates in 2001, which remains the largest hospital medicine practice in Nebraska and the region. Among his leadership positions, he has served as chairman of the Department of Medicine and chief of staff of Bryan Health. He has also served on the Boards of Directors of the Lancaster County Medical Society, Bryan Health and the Bryan Foundation. He also served for several years as the medical staff quality designee for Bryan Health. He was a charter member of ‘Team Hospitalist’, a physician editorial advisory panel for the Society of Hospital Medicine publication, The Hospitalist. He has served for many years as adjunct professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Carol Friesen is Vice President of health system services at Bryan Health in Lincoln, Nebraska. The service lines included are the Heartland Health Alliance with 48 affiliated members, and the Bryan Critical Access Hospital Network with 28 hospitals, rural consulting services, and managed and owned rural hospitals. She is also responsible for physician services including physician recruitment, medical education, physician workflow consulting and performance excellence/Lean. Carol has an extensive background in healthcare finance, with over 20 years of experience. In addition to her role at Bryan, she is involved in the National Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), the American Hospital Association and the Nebraska Hospital Association. She has served on the boards of all of these organisations and is currently chair of the National HFMA. She has received various high distinction awards, including the HFMA Muncie Gold Merit Outstanding Service Award, HFMA Founders Medal of Honor Award and American College of Healthcare Executives Early Careerist Award. Before becoming Vice President of health system services at Bryan, she served as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Crete Area Medical Center for six years and chief financial officer (CFO) of Boone County Health Center for eight years. She earned her master of public health in hospital administration and credential of advanced studies in health services administration from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.