Gardner pushes legislation to bring virtual healthcare to rural communities

From Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Sen. Cory Gardner is beamed into an emergency room in his hometown of Yuma 150 miles away, a town with 3,500 people and less than five primary care doctors. “I was delivered by the doctor who delivered my mom,” said Gardner. He’s leading an effort to bridge the rural-urban healthcare divide. He’s sponsored legislation that would expand virtual healthcare like the telestroke program at Swedish. It allows neurologists to assess patients miles away and prescribe lifesaving drugs before brain damage occurs.