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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare – News

News stories from the past 60 days.

Feb 3, 2026 - Discusses the rural-focused work at a primarily rural health system. Highlights the use of telehealth and artificial intelligence to tackle common rural health challenges.
Source: Health Leaders Media
Jan 30, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking comment on the potential adoption of diagnostic imaging technical standards and certification criteria for health information technology (IT) under the ONC Health IT Certification Program and whether such standards would improve the access, exchange, and use of diagnostic images for providers and patients. Comments are due by March 16, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 21, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP) announces the dates for public meetings of the Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC) to be held throughout the 2026 calendar year.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 14, 2026 - Pre-publication notice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announcing a virtual tribal consultation on the January 21, 2021, notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) titled "Proposed Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule To Support, and Remove Barriers to, Coordinated Care and Individual Engagement." The NPRM intends to strengthen individuals' rights to access their own protected health information, improve care coordination, and reduce administrative burdens on HIPAA covered health care providers and health plans, while continuing to protect individuals' health information privacy interests. The tribal consultation will be held on February 6, 2026, from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Eastern. Registration is required.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 2, 2026 - Announces that the COVID-19 public health emergency telemedicine flexibilities have been extended until December 31, 2026. Notes that the flexibility increases access to prescriptions for controlled medications for rural residents and others.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Dec 31, 2025 - The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is issuing a temporary rule to extend certain exceptions to existing DEA regulations implemented in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (COVID-19 PHE). The full set of telemedicine flexibilities regarding the prescription of controlled medications that were in place during the COVID-19 PHE as outlined in the Third Temporary Rule will remain in place through December 31, 2026. This rule is effective January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 29, 2025 - Notice of proposed rule from the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP)/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) proposing deregulatory actions identified in HHS regulations regarding health information technology standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria and certification programs for health information technology, as well as information blocking. ASTP/ONC intends for the revisions and removal of select regulations to streamline and reduce administrative burdens on healthcare providers, health information technology (IT) developers, and the health IT community overall. Comments are due by February 27, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 29, 2025 - Notice from the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP)/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) withdrawing non-finalized provisions of the August 5, 2024, proposed rule titled "Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability." The withdrawal of the non-finalized provisions of the August 5, 2024, proposed rule is effective December 29, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Last Updated: 2/3/2026