BENTON – Illinois Lt. Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti toured Franklin Hospital on Friday and witnessed a demonstration of a TeleHealth clinic visit provided through Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine in Springfield. According to a hospital press release, Sanguinetti, who serves as chairman of the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council, said “Time and again I have heard about the lack of specialty and primary care availability in rural communities. Residents can face 60 to 90 minute drive times to major medical facilities, and this is only if they have access to reliable transportation. Improving our TeleHealth infrastructure will address these rural health disparities and offer innovative ways to provide the quality healthcare access that all Illinoisans deserve.”  Franklin Hospital’s Chief Operating Officer, Derek Johnson, says “the hospital is very fortunate to have partnered with Springfield’s SIU School of Medicine last spring. Patients have access to over 150 specialty physicians right here in Franklin County through our Telehealth program.”