FirstHealth Home Care Services has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for the successful clinical results of its Telehealth program.

In addition to being featured on the DHHS Health Resources and Services (HRSA) website, FirstHealth Home Care also received accolades as the focus of a quality newsletter and webinar hosted by the government agency.

“The HRSA exposure shares FirstHealth’s Telehealth success with a national audience,” says Patty Upham, director of FirstHealth Home Care. “We’re proud of our accomplishments and honored to share our efforts and results with so many hospitals and rural providers.”

The recent recognition showcased FirstHealth Home Care’s benchmark work in reducing hospitalizations, improving care coordination and enhancing access to care through the Telehealth program.

In 2009, the program received a three-year, $750,000 HRSA Telehealth Network Grant that allowed FirstHealth to expand its innovative approach in a service region that covers Moore, Montgomery, Richmond, Scotland, Lee and Hoke counties.

Telehealth is medical technology used to monitor vital signs from a patient’s home and transmit the data to a nurse for review. When used in conjunction with standardized clinical pathways for patients with chronic illness, Telehealth allows patients and providers to monitor subtle changes in a patient’s health — such as weight, heart rate, heart rhythm, blood pressure, blood oxygen or blood sugar levels.

The interventions allow medical professionals to provide appropriate medical treatments that can prevent a potential hospitalization or emergency care visit.

Since the beginning of FirstHealth’s Telehealth program, more than 2,000 patients have benefited from the innovative service, bringing a new level of comfort and care to individuals with chronic conditions. This reduces the cost of health care while improving patients’ quality of life.

For more information on FirstHealth’s Telehealth program, call (800) 876-2212.

CommunityOne Bank

Names Kittrell to Post

CommunityOne Bank has named Scott Kittrell as wealth management executive.

Kittrell will lead the bank’s full-service Wealth Management division, including asset management, life insurance and trust and estate planning.

“Scott has been a tremendous asset to Community-One over the years and we are excited to have him lead our Wealth Management team with the same high quality and commitment that our customers deserve,” said Larry Campbell, interim president and CEO. “His broad range of experience and proven leadership abilities will help us provide better service to our wealth management customers and further develop and grow this important area of the bank.”

Kittrell joined the bank in 2003 as regional president responsible for consumer and commercial banking in Montgomery, Moore, Richmond and Scotland counties. In 2009, he was named director of operations and served in that role until earlier this year.

With more than 23 years of financial services experience, Kittrell’s extensive background includes investment services.

He received a bachelor’s degree in economics and business management from North Carolina State University and is a registered paraplanner by the College for Financial Planning.

Additional banking education includes the Advanced Management program through the North Carolina School of Banking and The Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.

Kittrell and his wife, Jessica, reside in Pinehurst and are members of Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church.

They have two children, Savannah and Grey.

Deiter Joins Staff

Of Village Design

Designer Jephrey Scott Deiter has joined the staff of the Village Design Group.

“We are so excited to have Jephrey join our design team,” said Vicki L. Stone, owner of Village Design Group. “He has a wealth of design experience and is extremely creative with color and textures.”

Deiter has held several positions in the design industry and completed his formal education by attending and graduating magna cum laude from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, with a degree in interior design.

While completing his college studies, Deiter worked as a general manager at two well-known high-end furniture and design showrooms in the internationally known Design Center of the Americas in South Florida. Soon after, he opened his own showroom in central Florida, where he featured his own furniture designs.

Deiter said he encourages his clients to utilize customization options to make each piece truly “their own.” The success of his showroom opened the door for Deiter to work in some of the premier locations in south Florida, such as Trump Tower in Miami and One Bal Harbor.

In 2011, Deiter relocated to Pinehurst.

Village Design Group Interior Design Center is at 10700 U.S. 15-501 in Southern Pines. For more information call (910) 692-1000 or visit www.villagedesigngroup.com.