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Take a moment to tap into the region of the brain that controls geographical knowledge and recall. Do Frenchboro, Swan's Island, Isle au Haut, Great Cranberry, Islesford, Monhegan, Matinicus, Islesboro, Vinalhaven, or North Haven sound familiar? Probably not. These 10 islands are just a fraction of the thousands located off the coast of Maine. Fifteen, including the 10 just listed, have year-round inhabitants. None has a bridge connecting it the mainland.

Teleheath

How are goods and services delivered? What happens when someone needs medical assistance?

Fortunately, the 75-foot-long Sunbeam V, operated by the Maine Seacoast Mission,1 features all the state-of-the-art telemedicine equipment island residents possibly could need. The vessel's staff assists residents according to their medical needs, and even can arrange for visits from specialists—always free of charge. Due to continued developments in telehealth technology, staff can conduct check-ups and consultations even when the ship is docked at the company's home in Bar Harbor.

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  1. Telemedicine and Island Health. Maine Seacoast Mission website. http://www.seacoastmission.org/home/what_we_do/island-services/telemedicine/. Accessed Febrary 2, 2017.
  2. 2014 House of Delegates Minutes. American Physical Therapy Association website. http://www.apta.org/HOD/Minutes/2014/. Accessed February 1, 2017.
  3. Lee ACW, Billings M. Telehealth implementation in a skilled nursing facility: case report for physical therapist practice in Washington. Phys Ther. 2016;96(2):252-259.
  4. Hoffman PM, CcCoy S, Jia H, et al. Rural Promising Practice Issue Brief: Using Clinical Video Telehealth to Provide Comprehensive Care to Rural Veterans With Multiple Sclerosis (MS). 2016. Office of Rural Health, US Department of Veterans Affairs. http://www.ruralhealth.va.gov/docs/promise/ORH-PromisingPractice-MS-Nov2016_508.pdf. Accessed February 22, 2017.

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