About two dozen community leaders heard a previously announced grant-funded rural health care prototype program for the Rockdale area fleshed out Friday at a meeting in the Patterson Civic Center.
Officials from the Texas A&M Health Science Center said the test program is expected to see some kind of preliminary telemedicine pod come to Rockdale by April, 2020.
It eventually is expected to include the ability to contact a health care provider and to obtain medicine through an on site dispenser.
Another idea floated Friday was a volunteer EMT extension force, similar to that now in operation in Lee County to respond to calls when all of Milam’s ambulance crew paramedics are at other calls.
Friday’s meeting was termed the first of many to discuss health care future and others, including town halls for the public, are to be scheduled in the new year.
Troy Mode, Rockdale Hospital District Board President, noted that nothing is “set in stone” and the new programs, whatever their eventual form, must be “sustainable” financially, since the enabling grant is only for two years.
A&M officials also stressed the new ideas are viewed as prototypes which could be used in rural locations around the nation.
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