Rural Health
News by Topic: Telehealth
May 18, 2022 - Announces a webinar on May 24 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time
hosted by the National Association of Rural Health Clinics
(NARHC) and the Georgia Health Policy Center titled
"Understanding COVID-19 and Public Health Emergency-linked
Telehealth Policies." Discusses changes to telehealth
during the COVID-19 pandemic, and offers a link to register
in advance for the webinar.
Source: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
May 17, 2022 - Highlights a discussion of the future of telehealth at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Telehealth Conference. Notes the importance of telehealth and issues of accessing telehealth as shared by National Rural Health Association CEO Alan Morgan, particularly related to broadband, training of the rural workforce, and sharing information with rural communities about telehealth options.
Source: MedCity News
May 10, 2022 - Announces $16.3 million to support the telehealth capacity of Title X family planning clinics in 26 states. Provides a list of grantees, their service areas, and funding amounts.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
May 6, 2022 - Highlights the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Home Based Primary Care team (HBPC) to deliver in-home visits through virtual technology. Describes the process of connecting with patients through the VA's virtual platform and overcoming barriers for patients who had difficulty using the technology.
Source: VAntage Point
May 6, 2022 - Describes barriers to providing equal access to telehealth, covering racial, age, and rural disparities in telehealth use, issues related to technology access and literacy, and broadband access. Notes ongoing telehealth challenges and concerns related to primary language, housing instability, substance use disorder medications, and patient privacy.
Source: mHealth Intelligence
Apr 28, 2022 - Describes the widespread implementation of telemedicine in Oklahoma during the COVID-19 pandemic and the experiences of providers across the state, including perspectives on quality, access, and reimbursement. Notes provider hesitation based on the technology available before the pandemic and acceptance of telehealth since the pandemic, situations when telehealth may or may not be the best option for delivering care, and concerns about access to internet service in rural and underserved areas. May require a subscription to view the full article.
Source: The Oklahoman
Apr 26, 2022 - Highlights research into telehealth solutions to the barriers preventing North Carolina farmworkers from accessing healthcare. Notes that many farmworkers obtain care from community health centers and migrant health centers, with 25 out of 27 HRSA-funded health center organizations serving farmworkers and their dependents offering real-time telehealth. Discusses considerations to ensure digital health equity for farmworkers, including audio-only telehealth options and expanding broadband access to migrant camps.
Source: Health Affairs
Apr 26, 2022 - Describes a 3-year trial of the Rural Home Hospital, a program developed by Ariadne Labs and implemented in 3 rural hospital systems, to assesses the potential for rural home treatment for conditions that would normally require hospitalization through telehealth and remote monitoring equipment. Notes that the trial, which is based on a successful urban home hospital program, may open up hospital beds for critically ill patients, offset transportation issues that can otherwise be a barrier to hospital care, and further increase rural access to acute care services.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Apr 22, 2022 - Interview with Dr. Blake McLaughlin, an OB-GYN who created a pilot telehealth program to connect rural physicians in northeast Colorado with specialists at North Colorado Medical Center. Describes the challenges of providing emergency obstetric care in rural areas and the recent launch of a telehealth pilot program to address workforce shortages, increase access to specialty providers, and support rural family medicine providers who offer obstetric care.
Source: NPR for Northern Colorado
Apr 18, 2022 - Describes advances in teledentistry and training programs to increase access to dental care in rural areas, noting that teledentistry can allow rural dentists to see more patients. Discusses a teledentistry simulation training program, a provider-to-provider teledentistry service, and a teledentistry student group at different dental colleges, demonstrating that telemedicine is a critical component of the future of dentistry.
Source: Insight Into Diversity