Blog - Peter Killcommons, MD - Weebly

Afshar Hospital in Afghanistan Campaigns Against Diabetes

2/22/2018

CEO of the medical software and device company Medweb in San Francisco, California, Peter (Pete) Killcommons has managed the company's medical and philanthropic services since founding Medweb in 1992. Throughout his career, Peter Killcommons has supported underprivileged medical institutions such as Afshar Hospital.

Located in Kabul, Afghanistan, Afshar Hospital provides medical care through 10 community clinics and seeks to raise public awareness about various health concerns. For example, the hospital recently started a Diabetes Awareness Campaign.

Facilitated by a three-year grant from the World Diabetes Foundation, Afshar Hospital's Diabetes Awareness Campaign will provide health screenings across Afghanistan in order to detect diabetes early and prevent potential complications leading to death. The campaign will include public announcements by the media to encourage people to attend these screenings, as well as staff training in health education to provide the general populace with educational information about preventing diabetes.

For more information about Afshar Hospital and the Diabetes Awareness Campaign, visit afsharhospital.org.

ATA Praises President for Opioid Declaration

1/3/2018

Dr. Peter “Pete” Killcommons has served as CEO of Medweb for more than two decades. His company specializes in providing teleradiology and telemedicine services, and his expertise in the field led to his appointment as a keynote speaker at the First Armenian International Telemedicine Congress in October 2011. Dr. Peter Killcommons is also a member of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA).

The ATA recently applauded President Trump’s October 2017 declaration in which he allowed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to lift legal restrictions on prescribing controlled substances using telemedicine. Under the Ryan Haight Act, telemedicine professionals had been restricted from prescribing opioid treatment options, such as naloxone, via telemedicine. The lift on the ban is effective for 90 days but can be extended by another presidential declaration.

The ATA hopes that this action will spur the DEA to create a special registration provision for telemedicine providers. In his comments, ATA president Dr. Peter Yellowlees praised the move, calling it an important first step toward helping telemedicine physicians better treat opioid addiction.

Rotary, Aiding Polio in Somalia

11/27/2017

Peter Killcommons, M.D., serves as the founder and CEO of Medweb, a medical imaging, teleradiology, and telemedicine company based out of San Francisco, California. Through his efforts, Medweb excels at the forefront of integrated healthcare. Pete Killcommons has worked with hospitals in Kabul and Jalalabad and is also involved in International Rotary.

International Rotary consists of rotary clubs, which bring together individuals to share ideas; Rotary International, which coordinates global programs; and the Rotary Foundation, which uses donations to fund projects worldwide. Rotary consists of 1.2 million people working together to create positive, lasting changes in communities around the world.

Recently, Rotary approved a $500,000 grant to the World Health Organization to fight a polio outbreak in Somalia. The grant covers the cost of human resources, training, and transportation of the necessary health workers to immunize children 10 and under in accessible areas of Somalia. Rotary's emergency funding to fight the polio outbreak in Somalia helps minimize the disease's further international spread.

What Medweb Brings to Remote Locations

10/23/2017

The founder and CEO of Medweb, Dr. Peter “Pete” Killcommons is a philanthropist who has traveled to remote villages around the world to administer medical advice and counseling. Dr. Peter Killcommons established Medweb to allow telemedicine services to reach these remote locations.

Medweb has been designed to provide modern imaging technology to remote areas with its patented medical image distribution program. The RIS/PACS modules integrate patient scheduling and registration with HIPAA-compliant storage and patient billing for a more seamless medical process. This helps medical personnel spend more time focusing on patient care.

Medweb’s telemedicine solutions allow physicians to consult with each other on a secured network and share uploaded images and findings. The system includes a comprehensive training program to teach physicians and medical personnel how to use the system efficiently, saving time and money for both medical staff and patients. Medical specialties covered include dermatology, ophthalmology, radiology, and radiology.

Conference Focuses on Telemedicine in Armenia

10/6/2017

Dr. Peter (Pete) Killcommons serves as president of Medweb, a leader in web-enabled telemedicine. In 2011, Dr. Killcommons shared his knowledge as keynote speaker for the First Armenian International Telemedicine Congress. His keynote address reviewed successes and challenges associated with implementing telemedicine technology in East Afghanistan. In addition, Dr. Peter Killcommons donated a Medweb telemedicine system to an Armenian telemedicine organization to encourage improvements in medical services for rural and underserved populations in Armenia.

At the conference, international experts discussed how information and communications technology is revolutionizing the field of medicine. More than 280 attendees from 20 countries came together for scientific and plenary sessions, round tables, panel discussions, and an educational track. In addition, attendees gained insights from noted leaders in telehealth and related disciplines through five keynote presentations.

Conference attendees included health care professionals, business executives, and government officials. Together, this group of experts discussed emerging telemedicine opportunities in Armenia and similar countries. The event was a key milestone in the evolution of health care information technology in Armenia.

About Telemedicine and the American Telemedicine Association

9/12/2017

Dr. Peter Killcommons founded Medweb, a medical imaging and telemedicine company, 21 years ago. He serves the company as chief executive officer and directs numerous divisions including telemedicine and disaster response. In October 2011, Dr. Pete Killcommons spoke at the First Armenian International Telemedicine Conference, where he espoused the benefits and difficulties of using telemedicine in Eastern Afghanistan. Dr. Peter Killcommons complements decades of hands-on experience in his field with memberships to professional organizations such as the American Telemedicine Association.

Founded in 1993, the American Telemedicine Association, or ATA, exists to champion the use of advanced telemedicine. Through various initiatives, ATA educates the public and governments on the boons of telemedicine, advocates research in the field, and develops policies. The organization aims to weave telemedicine into healthcare systems and bring about greater affordability and efficacy in the healthcare industry.

One of ATA's foremost goals is to define telemedicine for those unfamiliar with the discipline. Just like file transfers across the Internet take place between parties spread out hundreds or thousands of miles apart, telemedicine refers to transferring medical information using electronic tools. Those tools include email, video, smartphones, and other forms of wireless resources.

CEO Delivers Keynote at Armenian International Telemedicine Congress

8/7/2017

Peter Killcommons serves as the founder and CEO of Medweb, which encompasses medical imaging, teleradiology, and telemedicine divisions. In 2011, Pete Killcommons gave the keynote presentation at the First Armenian International Congress on Telemedicine and eHealth.

The congress, titled “ARMTELEMED: Road to the Future,” presented a theme of forward thinking in Armenian telemedicine. It took place October 14-16 and was attended by 287 participants, including 53 international participants and 76 students of the congress’ host venue, the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University.

Peter Killcommons’ keynote speech focused primarily on the implementation of telemedicine technology in eastern Afghanistan, specifically two participating hospitals in Jalalabad. Medweb created and donated the system to the Armenian telemedicine association, in an attempt to help rural areas of Armenia become more medically advanced. The hosts of the congress presented Killcommons with a personalized bottle of Armenian cognac and an invitation to the following year’s congress.

Peter Killcommons on the American Telemedicine Association

7/6/2017

As Chief Executive Officer for Medweb, Peter Killcommons understands the importance of telemedicine to the future of healthcare. A speaker at the Fourth Intensive Balkan Telemedicine and e-Health Seminar and at the First Armenian International Congress on Telemedicine and eHealth, Peter Killcommons belongs to the American Telemedicine Association.

Based in Washington, D.C., the American Telemedicine Association has served as the leading professional organization dedicated to this field since 1993. With an international scope, this organization enlightens others about how telemedicine can reduce the costs of healthcare for people around the world.

The American Telemedicine Association concentrates its efforts in several projects, especially those related to education. The group informs doctors about how telemedicine can improve their practice. As telemedicine enables people from different countries to unite and share data in real time, the group encourages medical professionals to adopt these devices to enhance the potential for research and knowledge. Trying to influence legislation plays another important part in the entity's mission, and its members teach government agents about the value of this technology in order to promote favorable laws towards its growth. Additionally, the American Telemedicine Association runs campaigns letting the public know about the benefits of this technology.

Medweb Provides Disaster Relief Internationally and at Home

6/24/2017

As founder and CEO of Medweb in San Francisco, Peter “Pete” Killcommons guides his company in providing telemedicine and imaging services; his firm is one of the few corporations that include a dedicated philanthropic division. Among the recipients of Peter Killcommons’ charity projects are disaster sites in the United States and abroad.

Southwest Asia has been a focal point for several Medweb initiatives. In Afghanistan, Medweb installed and provided training for a deployable telemedicine clinic. This clinic enables doctors and patients in separate locations to communicate via voice and visual links. Medweb also improved satellite communications at a lab in Jalalabad.

Medweb also served Tristan de Cunha, a remote island west of South Africa that can only be reached by a weeklong boat trip. The company enhanced telemedicine capabilities and continues to provide technical support and training there.

In the US, Medweb aided victims of Hurricane Katrina with a mobile medical triage unit on the ground at Touro Hospital and on board the USNS Comfort.

About American Telemedicine Association Accreditation

6/14/2017

The chief executive officer of Medweb, a medical software and device company, Peter Killcommons, MD, has more than two decades of experience in the industry. The head of the company’s disaster response, radiology, and telemedicine divisions, Dr. Peter “Pete” Killcommons is also a member of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA).

A nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the affordability, equity, and quality of healthcare across the globe, the American Telemedicine Association is based in Washington, DC. With over 10,000 members, the ATA is open to students, individuals, corporations, and other institutions to help make it the leading association for the multi-billion-dollar telemedicine industry. In addition to member benefits, the organization offers benefits to healthcare providers and regulators with its accreditation program.

Accreditation, which must be renewed every three years, is a sign to consumers and regulators that an organization is dedicated to ensuring best practices regarding laws, regulations, and industry standards are followed. Providers then can differentiate themselves from their competitors while increasing consumer trust and recognition, and regulators can know the organization is committed to accuracy and quality in telemedicine. To receive ATA accreditation, an eligible healthcare provider organization must submit an application with all required supporting documents. The organization is then surveyed by ATA members to determine that all telemedicine policies and procedures meet necessary standards in the areas of demonstration, attestation, documentation, and online resources.