A new program at Penn Highlands State College is expanding care for sexual assault victims in Centre County.
The hospital at in Patton Township has partnered with Sexual Assault Forensic Examination-Telehealth (SAFE-T) System to provide patients with immediate access to board-certified sexual assault nurse examiners through specialized forensic telehealth technology.
“We are excited to partner with SAFE-T System to bring top quality sexual assault care to victims who seek help from our hospital,” Sarah Lehman, director of nursing for Penn Highlands State College, said in a statement. “Having expert nurses available 24/7 to support our patients and staff is invaluable.”
SAFE-T System was developed in 2017 at Penn State’s Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing and launched with support from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Crime Victims to enhance access to high quality sexual assault care in underserved communities.
The system allows a telehealth sexual assault nurse examiner, or teleSANE, with extensive experience and training in sensitive sexual assault forensic examination to see the live exam in progress and provide guidance, ensuring best practices, proper evidence collection and a safe and supportive environment for the patient.
SAFE-T System proprietary tele-forensic camera featuring hands-free and voice-activated photo capture and light display, paired with secure video conferencing technology and infrastructure for handling sensitive material.
“The expert nurse appears on the screen where they can talk to and support both the onsite nurse and the patient,” Sheridan Miyamoto, assistant professor of Nursing at Penn State and director of the SAFE-T Center said. “This is a true partnership. Our goal is to make sure the on-site nurse feels supported and confident during the exam and that the patient knows that they are getting the best care possible.”
Since its establishment, the SAFE-T System has been received positively by patients, with 92% reporting that they felt better after the examination and more than 88% of victims with pre-examination worries saying those were alleviated during the examinations in their local hospitals. More than 90% rated their sexual assault care as “excellent” or “very good” when the SAFE-T System program was utilized, according to the SAFE-T Center.
In 2023, the SAFE-T System received the Pennsylvania Rural Health Program of the Year Award from the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health.
Sexual assault forensic examinations are free to patients, who incur no cost for SAFE-T System telehealth support. Forensic examination services are available at Penn Highlands State College Emergency Department 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
