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Telehealth Booths Make Doctor Visits Easier

Two library-based projects funded by the 2023 AARP Community Challenge connect residents to care in Southern Oklahoma

A woman uses a telehealth booth sponsored by AARP

A librarian demonstrates the telehealth booth at the Southern Oklahoma Library in Sulphur.

Photo by AARP Oklahoma

When residents of rural Johnston County, Oklahoma, need to see a medical specialist, the nearest doctor is often a two-hour drive away in Oklahoma City. With nearly 40 percent of the county’s population over age 50, driving that distance, or depending on family or friends for a ride, can be a challenge.

Telehealth visits enable a patient to connect via video to their doctor — so long as they have high-speed internet; a smartphone, tablet or computer with a camera; and the needed technical skills.

“Telehealth pods allow people to seek health and other professional advice without making a long trip out of town. They can make the short drive to the library without having to locate a healthcare facility or office in an unfamiliar area, perhaps finding someone to drive them, and incurring the expense of a trip and the possibility of a long wait in a room full of sick people.”

— Southern Oklahoma Library System

The Project

"Since we’re situated in rural communities, we've found that some people can't get to a specialist, a doctor, a follow-up, or to their mental health or therapy sessions," notes Gail Oehler, executive director of the Southern Oklahoma Library System. "By bringing people to a library and having a private room where they can access those physicians and caregivers, they can attend the appointment in their community without having to travel long distances."

The Johnston County Library branch in Tishomingo is one of the few locations in the county with high-speed internet.

“Following COVID, we noticed patrons visiting the library mainly for the computers and meeting space,” says Oehler. ”Many insurance plans now allow telehealth appointments. At the library, we have great technology and professionals who can assist visitors who need help. Why not merge the two by creating a private space outfitted with the necessary equipment?”

To fund the installation, Oehler and librarian Pam Bean applied for and received a 2023 AARP Community Challenge grant.

The original plan was to use the grant to purchase a premade booth, or pod, and install it with the needed computer equipment. But after researching premade pods, the pair crunched the numbers and realized it was more cost effective to soundproof to outfit an existing study room with furniture, equipment and the proper technology.

With the money saved, the library system hired a local contractor to build a second space, which is housed in the library branch in Sulphur. The added location expanded the library’s outreach to more than 13,000 people, including students from a local school for the deaf.

The Results

The telehealth booths were opened in late 2023. Each is typically used about three times a week and people can reserve the pods or show up on a first come, first served basis.

AARP Oklahoma and library staff and volunteers stand in front of the telehealth booth

Representatives from AARP and the Southern Oklahoma Library System stand outside the telehealth pod in Sulphur.

Photo by AARP Oklahoma

Advice for Replicating the Project

Piggybacking Works: When the Johnston County branch held its telehealth space grand opening, it simultaneously hosted a health fair featuring booths promoting well-water testing; screenings for strep, flu and COVID; and tasty samples of healthy smoothies and teas.

Don’t Whisper: “Keep tooting your own horn,” says Bean. “We offer one-on-one help on how to access technology. We aren’t going to sit in the room with a patron during the doctor's appointment. But we will help them access their email and the appointment link, and get them comfortable with the technology before the doctor's visits”

Keep Evolving: Libraries are constantly reinventing themselves, adds Bean, noting that, to keep pace with changing technology, the staff has also been trained to use 3D printers. “COVID showed us we can do way more than we think,” says Bean. “We shut down and answered the phones from our homes. We loaded books into a van and drove to the more rural communities in our system. We set up free Wi-Fi at community centers.”

_{Page published November 2024 | Reporting by Amy Lennard Goehner}

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Telehealth Booths Make Doctor Visits Easier