Greetings Northwest Region:

NRTRC’s Find Telehealth Map Expanded:

Two more states have been added to the Find Telehealth mapping application!  NRTRC has partnered with SWTRC to expand the map to include facilities that provide telehealth services in Arizona and Nevada! We have also expanded the list of telehealth access points (TAPs), to the entire United States. Simply turn on the TAPs button on the map to view all of the public access points across the country. Additional TAPs can also be added to the map by entering their information here.

CMS Releases CY 2024 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the Calendar Year 2024 Physician Fee Schedule (CY 2024 PFS) Proposed Rule (936 pages) in the Federal Register. The deadline for formal comments is September 11, 2023 by 5:00 p.m. (ET) Formal comments may be submitted by selecting the green button on this page. More information can be found in the CY 2024 PFS proposal. Center for Connected Health (CCHP) has also prepared a short video and fact sheet on the CY 2024 PFS proposals.

The Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) has prepared the Billing for Telehealth Encounters – An Introductory Guide on Fee-for-Service is “…an informational billing guide to assist those who have questions regarding telehealth billing in general and specifically, post-PHE.” The information in this guide is current through May of 2023. The main narrative of this recent billing guide is focused on the current 2023 policies, some being only temporary, and the permanent Medicare policy is stated in the call out boxes. CCHP has also noted which policies will be in place through 2024. The guide is organized into five main sections: Terminology related to telehealth Codes Services Other considerations Billing examples and other relevant information related to billing for telehealth.

A Big Round of Applause To: Utah for passing legislation on the physician assistant (PA) licensure with the Federation of State Medical Boards, becoming the first state in the nation to do so. The PA Licensure Compact is a multi-state contract that will allow physician assistants to have their licenses recognized by other member states and increase ease of practicing telemedicine.  Montana: A recent Office of Inspector General (OIG) report reviewed an audit that covered 440,003 Medicaid telehealth paid claim lines (lines), totaling $43.2 million (Federal share), that Montana claimed with paid dates of March 1 through December 31, 2020. “Montana and Medicaid providers generally complied with Federal and State requirements when claiming Medicaid reimbursement for telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 99.9 percent of the lines we reviewed complied with Federal and State requirements.” Idaho: Exciting times for Idaho, a formal hub to house Idaho's telehealth efforts is coming soon. Cornerstone Whole Healthcare Organization Inc. is working with the NRTRC to create the Idaho Telehealth Alliance (ITA), watch for more to come in upcoming newsletters.

Events to Bookmark in 2023

NCTRC Webinar: The Crystal Ball Project: Telehealth Technology in 3-5 Years: Healthcare is in a period of profound change. These changes are driven by technology, staff shortages, the need for outcome and cost improvement, and, to an increasing extent, by consumer demand. This webinar will provide an overview of the six key technologies that will have a significant impact on healthcare delivery over the next 3 to 5 years as identified by our Crystal Ball panel. August 17 12:00 P.M.-1:00 P.M. MST   September National Telehealth Conference: HHS’s Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and Telehealth.HHS.gov are pleased to host a National Telehealth Conference bringing together public and private sector leaders to discuss telehealth best practices and lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the course of two days, experts in the field will examine the evolution of telehealth as part of the standard of care and the importance of its continued integration in an overall, integrated care delivery model. September 12   2023 HRSA Region 10 Health Equity Conference: This regional event aims to ignite the spirit of partnership to unify our communities and achieve health equity in Region 10 by fostering an environment of diversity, allyship, cultural dignity and respect. Participants will come together with colleagues, partners, stakeholders and community members to learn, network, find inspiration, and celebrate the tremendous work towards health equity in Region 10. September 14-15   Telehealth Awareness Week: Save the Date! The American Telemedicine Association’s (ATA) 3rd annual Telehealth Awareness Week™ will showcase the many ways virtual care expands access to health care. September 17-23   Thriving Together Virtual Care Conference: Thriving Together NCW is trying to get the word out about our upcoming Virtual Care Conference on September 18 and 19 at the Wenatchee Convention Center in Wenatchee, WA. Join us for this engaging, in person event where we will explore the key components of implementing virtual care in rural areas, gain actionable insights, forge meaningful connections, and contribute to the advancement of virtual care in rural areas. September 18-19 2023 Montana Healthcare Conference: The 2023 Montana Healthcare Conference is a collaborative event offered by the Montana Hospital Association and co-sponsored by the Montana Primary Care Association. Participants experience interdisciplinary topics with a focus on general trending issues. September 19-22 Converge 2 Xcelerate: ConV2X is produced by Partners in Digital Health (PDH), facilitating global inter-connectivity to redefine the future of healthcare to accelerate the education, investigation, use, and scale required in the field. PDH harnesses the creative energies of industry pioneers and researchers, supported by the scientific excellence that is reflected in its leading open access peer reviewed journal Telehealth and Medicine Today (THMT). September 21    October Idaho Hospital Association's Annual Convention: Come join us at the Annual Meeting in Sun Valley and connect with peers, hear updates on the state and national front, and learn from the valuable education sessions aimed at helping us maintain our viability as hospitals and healthcare providers. October 2-5      HLTH 2023: Whether it's meeting people and organizations who can accelerate your business outcomes, staying ahead of emerging trends, connecting with your industry colleagues, advancing your career, or all the above— HLTH 2023 will deliver a curated experience that is tailored just for you. October 8-11     The 40th Annual Oregon Rural Health Conference: Save the Date - 40th Annual Oregon Rural Health Conference in 2023, Sunriver, October 11-13 November  SEARCH 2023: The National Telehealth Research Symposium, will connect health researchers, academicians, and visionaries in telehealth and telemedicine to share findings and foster research partnerships. November 7-9       2023 Rural Health Association of Utah Annual Conference: The Rural Health Association of Utah Conference is an annual event dedicated to promoting and improving rural healthcare in rural Utah. The theme of this year’s conference is Innovations in Rural Health: Navigating the Future. November 8-9     APHA 2023: The American Public Health Association will hold its annual meeting and expo in Atlanta, GA. Nov. 12-15

Check out NRTRC’s  Updated Resources!   End-Of-The-Telhealth-PHE Checklist Critical Access Hospital Telehealth Guide The Chronic Care Management and Principal Care Management Implementation Document Telehealth Services and Codes table

Northwest Regional State Telehealth Website Links Alaska Collaborative for Telehealth and Telemedicine Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Montana Telehealth Alliance Telehealth Alliance of Oregon Utah Telehealth Network Washington State Telehealth Collaborative Washington State Department of Health Wyoming Telehealth Network

Telehealth Resources Telehealth Tools and Resources: Find up-to-date telehealth tools & resources. Professional Development: Visit NRTRC's catalog of online telehealth training courses. The Telehealth Resource Centers have gathered resources specific to Federally Qualified Health Centers.  Emergency Declarations: Utah is the only state in the Northwest Region still under an emergency declaration because of the COVID pandemic. It is set to expire when the national PHE expires.  Updated legislation and regulations: Keep up with regulations and proposed legislation for the states of the Northwest Region. Research: current research opportunities, research articles and survey results.

Grant Funding Opportunities Refer to the funding page on the NRTRC website for updated grant opportunities.

Telehealth Triumphs

I signed up for the Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center's (NRTRC) QI Telehealth Course to learn about ways to improve the quality of telehealth services for TX Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (TX-RMOMS) Program. I have been the Program Coordinator since its inception in September 2019. This is a HRSA-funded program awarded to University Health with the goal of improving access to and continuity of maternal and obstetrics care in rural communities of Bexar, Val Verde, Maverick, Uvalde and surrounding counties. One of the TX RMOMS Health Network goals is to eliminate transportation barriers for high-risk maternal patients who, until now, had to endure up to a six-hour roundtrip from their rural locations to appointments with Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) providers in San Antonio, TX. The telehealth component will allow these maternal patients to schedule the required detailed anatomy sonogram at their rural hospital and have the consult with an MFM Provider (in San Antonio) on the same day, eliminating the need to travel. Under the program, sonographers from the rural hospitals received training from the University of Texas Lead Maternal-Fetal Medicine Sonographer to perform these types of sonograms locally.When the course started, TX RMOMS had just completed the purchase of needed software and interface needed for connectivity with Uvalde Memorial Hospital, where we will begin this new protocol. Taking the course allowed me to develop a Project Charter and a Workflow that has been instrumental in the initial steps to complete the interface and to improve the communication with the IT Team. This is crucial to the sustainability of the telemedicine component as the RMOMS Program enters its final year of funding.More than anything, the course offered me the guidance and expertise of the NRTRC Team. I know that, as TX RMOMS continues its telemedicine project, I will always have a team of experts available for questions or support.

NRTRC on YouTube NRTRC’s 2022 11th Annual Telehealth Conference video sessions are free to view. If you were unable to attend, or want to watch your favorite sessions again, visit NRTRC’s YouTube page.

Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center “This publication was made possible by grant number UiUTH42531-01 from the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, Health Resources and Services Administration, DHHS”