About the Hospital
Mary Greeley Medical Center (MGMC) is a 220-bed, multi-specialty hospital in Ames, Iowa. It serves a diverse patient population, including a large university community and a significant retiree population.
The hospital relies on consistent specialty care to maintain high standards of care and stroke accreditation.
The Need
Strengthening Neurology and Nephrology Access Through Long-Term Clinical Continuity
As a stroke-accredited facility, MGMC depends on consistent neurology care to maintain accreditation and deliver timely care for stroke patients. The hospital also faced ongoing pressure in nephrology due to limited local specialist availability and growing inpatient and outpatient demand. MGMC previously relied on a local multi-specialty clinic for neurology coverage. Over time, the clinic shifted focus toward outpatient care.
A short-term TeleNeurology program was implemented, but it was not designed for long-term continuity.
MGMC needed a more stable and structured approach to specialty care.
The Challenge
Reducing Operational Complexity and Improving Continuity
MGMC faced several challenges with its prior TeleNeurology model. Key issues included:
- High administrative workload from credentialing rotating physicians
- Frequent physician changes that created staff confusion
- Gaps in continuity that impacted care coordination
- Inconsistent communication between onsite teams and TeleNeurology physicians
- High turnover rates
These challenges made it more difficult for care teams to build trust and maintain consistent specialty care.
In nephrology, a limited specialist pool created unsustainable on-call demands, increasing burnout risk and long-term staffing strain.
MGMC needed a more structured model that would reduce complexity and strengthen specialty care continuity.
The Solution
A Structured Physician Partnership Model
MGMC partnered with Eagle Telemedicine to integrate a TeleNeurology program built around a consistent physician partnership model.
Eagle introduced a dedicated group of physicians aligned to support long-term continuity and integration with hospital workflows.
This approach helped reduce coverage variation and improve coordination across care teams.
MGMC later expanded the partnership to include TeleNephrology support, particularly for weekend coverage. This helped improve specialty care stability and reduce oncall pressure.
Eagle’s TeleNephrology physicians work closely with onsite nephrologists to support coordinated care delivery.
Benefits & Outcomes
- Consistent, Reliable Coverage
- Improved Continuity of Care
- Reduced Administrative Burden
