Page 45 - BusinessWest August 3, 2020

Virtual Job Fair
Aug. 4: With government-mandated social-distanc- ing restrictions in place, the West of the River Cham- ber of Commerce (WRC) will hold its annual job fair virtually this year. With the extra unemployment money individuals are receiving about to expire, and local businesses beginning to reopen, the WRC is looking to help its members in any way it can. The Zoom event will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. This is a free event for attendees, and vendors and attend- ees can both register online. Each vendor will have the opportunity to speak to the attendees as a whole group about their company and what positions they are looking to fill. At the conclusion of the group ses- sion, each vendor will have a breakout room where attendees can ask more detailed information and exchange contact information. The event is spon- sored by Reminder Publications. For more informa- tion and to register, visit www.westoftherivercham- ber.com.
Driving for the Cure Golf Tournament
Aug. 17: TommyCar Auto Group announced that its 12th annual Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Char- ity Golf Tournament will be held at Twin Hills Coun- try Club in Longmeadow. Money raised supports neuro-oncology research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Since its inception, this annual golf tourna- ment has raised more than $1 million. The scramble- style tournament features a ‘Tee Off Against Cancer’ shotgun start. Players will enjoy 18 holes of golf and exciting on-course activities. Sponsorship packages range from $50 to $15,000, and foursomes start at $1,250. To learn more about sponsorship opportuni- ties or to register a foursome, visit tomcosenzidriv- ingforthecure.com. Volunteers and sponsors can also contact Gayle Bover at (413) 341-1917 or tomcosenzi- [email protected].
Knights Of Columbus Golf Tournament
Aug. 21: The Greenfield Knights of Columbus Coun- cil #133 will host its seventh annual charity golf tournament at Crumpin-Fox Club in Bernardston. This year, the Greenfield Council #133 recognizes the
Telehealth
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upended our society and created a new normal of social distancing,” said Ron Bryant, president of Bay- state Noble Hospital. “This practice has resulted in large numbers of people who feel isolated from their families, their circle of friends, and their normal life’s routine. This in turn can result in anxiety, depression, loneliness, and an overwhelming sense of fear and uncertainty, all of which can be addressed through behavioral-health services.”
It’s not just behavioral-health professionals say- ing telehealth offers an easier and less anxiety-ridden experience, one that makes it more likely patients will keep their appointments. Cameron reports the same trend at Holyoke Medical Center’s practices.
“One thing we found was our no-show rates dropped dramatically,” he said. “It’s pretty easy for the patient. They’re notified at home, and all they have to do is connect. They don’t have to go anywhere.”
As offices reopened to the public, he continued, “we’re probably a mix now of 60% in office, 40% telemedicine. So it’s shifted a little bit, but our goal
is to continue to push it as a tool for the providers because, in certain cases, it’s more efficient and effec- tive. It’s actually quicker for the patient and provider.”
Cameron doesn’t expect demand to be an issue, especially as more patients try out a remote visit, he said, noting that a couple of family members recently
United Arc as its tournament partner. The event will be an 18 hole, four-person scramble with tee advan- tages for senior golfers. The entry fee of $125 per person includes greens fees, carts, use of the prac- tice range, and prizes for the winners. A $35 gift card will be given to all golfers, which can be used at any time for meals, merchandise, or golf-related items. Raffle tickets will be sold, with prizes including a three-day Cape Cod vacation, a sports package, golf certificates, a ‘mystery box’ provided by the United Arc, restaurant certificates, auto packages, and much more. A hole-in-one contest will offer a chance to win a new car or other significant prizes. In addition to the United Arc, the proceeds from the event will be used to fund a number of Council #133’s worthy causes in Greenfield and Franklin County, including the Pan Mass Challenge, Baystate Franklin Medical Center’s Wheeling for Healing, Farren Hospital’s Gift of Light, the Greenfield Homeless Shelter, monthly community meals, high-school scholarships, honor- ing veterans on Memorial Day and having Wreaths Across America wreaths placed on graves at Christ- mas, several youth sports programs, and more. To sign up or for more information, call Lou Grader at (413) 774-2848, Dan Arsenault at (413) 774-5258, Bob Wanczyk at (413) 774-2465, Paul Doran at (413) 522- 1800, or Joe Ruscio at (413) 768-9876.
Women’s Leadership Luncheon Series
Aug. 26, Sept. 30, Oct. 28: On July 29, Holyoke Com- munity College President Christina Royal and Aman- da Sbriscia, HCC’s vice president of Institutional Advancement, kicked off a reimagined monthly Women’s Leadership Luncheon Series. The 2020 Women’s Leadership Luncheon Series, postponed from spring due to COVID-19, will now take place virtually over Zoom on the last Wednesdays of each month from noon to 1 p.m. The series is sponsored by HCC and Training and Workforce Options (TWO), a collaboration between HCC and Springfield Tech- nical Community College. Each lunchtime event will feature two presenters leading discussions on dif- ferent topics. On Aug. 26, “Empowering Women in the Workplace” will be presented by Denise Jordan, executive director, Springfield Housing Authority;
scheduled televisits and were surprised how easy and effective a visit could be without having to go to the office.
“There’s a push by the state and the feds to keep this in place as a tool to connect with patients. There’s been a push to extend it, make it permanent as a way to get paid, and at the full rate of an office visit. There are definitely enough patients out there who want this.”
Generation Gap
Viswanathan agrees that patients have adapted
to the technology. Even older patients, who might not be comfortable with technology, have responded positively when a family member or visiting nurse has shown them how to access it. “When they see the benefits and ease of using it, their acceptance just shoots up.”
Most physicians like having the option as well, Cameron said, noting its potential in on-call situa- tions, when a doctor can send a patient a link and get connected quickly.
“It’s a great tool that gives us much more flexibility. So I don’t see this going away,” he told BusinessWest.
As COVID-19 cases subside, some practices are going back to seeing most patients in person, he noted, but HMC continues to reinforce the use of telehealth. “This is a tool we want to use for the right
and Julie Quink, managing partner, Burkhart, Piz- zanelli, P.C. On Sept. 30, “Comfortable in Your Own Skin, Finding Your Voice” will feature Tanisha Arena, executive director, Arise for Social Justice; and Pam Victor, owner, Happier Valley Comedy. On Oct. 28, “Women Leaders in Non-Traditional Businesses”
will be presented by Colleen Loveless, president and CEO, Revitalize Community Development Corp.; and Nicole Palange, vice president, V&F Auto. Each ses- sion costs $20 each, or $50 for the full series. Regis-
Agenda
tration is required. Space for each luncheon is limit- ed to 25. To register, visit hcc.edu/womens-leadership.
Golf FORE Health Tournament
Sept. 14-15: The 31st annual Golf FORE Health Tour- nament, Cooley Dickinson Hospital’s only major fun- draising event, will be held at the Crumpin-Fox Club in Bernardston. COVID-19 has altered every aspect of people’s personal and professional lives. Today, the need for support for the local hospital is greater than ever, and many businesses have reached out asking how to help Cooley Dickinson care for its patients and our community. This year’s tournament will be played in a social-distancing format with tee times every 10 minutes starting at 8 a.m., and will now be played over two days and adhere to all cur- rent Massachusetts COVID-19 golf guidelines. Each team will play on one of the two days. This means the annual post-event banquet will not take place, but organizers say they have been able to incorpo- rate some exciting new tournament additions and give sponsors the greatest amount of exposure. The lead platinum sponsors are bankESB and MJ Moran Inc. To secure a team or to sponsor the event, visit www.cooleydickinson.org/golf. Questions should be directed to Jennifer Margolis at jbmargolis@cooley- dickinson.org or (413) 582-2255.
visits. We want to make sure we give the option to patients. And, as we beef up the technology around it, docs like it.”
One reason, Viswanathan said, is it opens up a practice’s business to patients who may live farther away than they’d like to drive on a regular basis. He also foresees a day when community centers are equipped with telehealth ‘booths’ where patients can transmit their information and be connected to a doctor.
“It will never replace a visit,” he added, “but I think there’s going to be so much innovation around this.”
Part of Cameron’s job will be to continue to edu- cate providers on how telehealth can be an effective tool.
“We still have older docs not accustomed to using all the technology. Back in ’07, EMR was a challenge. Now we’re asking them to do person-to-person visits via telephone or video,” he said. “So I think we’re still early in the process, but I’ve seen tremendous benefit to this that I don’t think is going to go away. And our plan here is to continue to educate, build the technol- ogy around it, and make it easier and more efficient for our providers and the whole system.” u
Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]
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