The efforts of a North Country telemedicine initiative are expected to be put to work beginning next month.

Rural health care facilities in St. Lawrence County and seven other counties in northern New York will have the high-quality, affordable digital connectivity required to share telemedicine and tele-health services beginning in late November, according to the Adirondack-Champlain Telemedicine Information Network (ACTION).

The regional initiative was formed to create a fiber optic telecommunications and telemedicine network that connects eight participating hospitals, 40 primary care facilities affiliated with these hospitals, and the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Health Services facility.

The network encompasses Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Rensselaer, Saratoga, St. Lawrence, Warren and Washington counties in New York and extends to Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vermont.

Participants in the project held a press conference on Monday at CVPH Medical Center to discuss the merits of the program and to thank the government officials who helped find funding.

They said the new system will improve health care quality, patient safety and efficiency at a time when health care is being asked to do more for less cost.

U.S. Congressman Bill Owens, State Senator Betty Little and Assemblywoman Janet Duprey all helped find funding for the project and were on hand.

To provide the most cost effective access to all 49 participants, the Development Authority of the North Country (DANC) will use local service provider, including SLIC Network Solutions of Potsdam, to connect ACTION members throughout the region.