Save The Date: 
NRTRC’s annual conference will be held virtually for 2021 on April 21 and 22. 
This year’s theme is Telehealth’s Big Bang: From Challenge to Opportunity. Presentations will highlight expert panels with discussions around, How to Engage Patients Using Telehealth, Keeping Providers Healthy and Committed to Virtual Care, Overcoming Telehealth Inequities, and Strategies for Maintaining Regulatory Flexibilities. 
This is not a meeting you want to miss! Mark your calendars, more information to come. 
Announcing the Launch of the Updated NRTRC Website:
We are excited to announce that the updated website for the Northwest Regional Telehealth Resources Center is now live! The address has not changed (www.nrtrc.org), but the resources are much improved! Stop by today and request technical assistance, or explore our success stories, professional development, events calendar, and more!
NRTRC Virtual Office Hours:
Please join us for NRTRC Virtual Office Hours, an informal discussion around current telehealth opportunities and challenges. 

Telehealth News:
  • The Acting Secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) indicated in a recent letter to state Governors that the department intends to extend the declaration of the PHE through the end of 2021.  
  • The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has renewed the COVID-19 public health emergency through April, extending key regulatory flexibilities such as Medicare telehealth reimbursement.
  • CCHP releases a report on Private Payer Telehealth Coverage During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
  • The Federal Communications Commission has selected 14 telehealth projects spanning more than 150 sites in 11 states to receive funding from the $100 million Connected Care Pilot Program. Read the press release here.
  • The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued its fourth amendment to the declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act, adding connected health channels to increase access to countermeasures against COVID-19.
Upcoming Events & Webinars:


  • University of Utah Office of Outreach Education: Resiliency During COVID-19: (3rd, 4th and 5th sessions of a five-part series) This five-part series covers: the impact of trauma on front-line caregivers; the creation of professional boundaries with family and patients; communicating with families, patients and each other during COVID; and developing self-care strategies in and around the workplace. Thursdays, Feb. 4, Feb. 18, and March 4, 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. MST

  • NCTRC Telehealth Hack – FQHC Program Models Post-COVID: Expanded telehealth flexibilities during the COVID public health emergency allowed for FQHCs and RHCs to serve as distant site providers to virtually manage largely underserved populations. Three FQHCs from different areas of the country will share their experiences implementing telehealth, including best practices and lessons learned. Wednesday, Feb. 10, noon-1:00 p.m. MST

 

  • NCTRC Webinar – Telehealth Policy Update: What Has Happened and What to Look for in 2021 Mei Kwong, executive director of the Center for Connected Health Policy, will provide an update on federal and state telehealth policy, what’s been made permanent, what’s still temporary, and what we may see in the coming months.Thursday, Feb. 18, noon to 1:00p.m. MST
Share Your stories:

The Montana Telehealth Alliance (MTA) is a member-organization that has been active in its mission to advocate for and support the advancement of healthcare by the use of telehealth for the benefit of all Montanans for over 20 years. Thanks to the CARES funding through the NRTRC and HRSA, the MTA has been able to focus on some initiatives that have elevated the visibility of the MTA, and made it more accessible to its stakeholders. 

Most notably, in 2020, the MTA unveiled its new website, which contains a lot of information for a variety of stakeholders, including: 
  • Regulatory resources (both general and COVID-specific)
  • A rolling list of events hosted by partner organizations
  • Membership information
  • An interactive map of the members
  • A contact form
  • A members-only resource page to help memorialize the work that the MTA continues to engage in  

Coming soon to the website will be tip sheets and resource guides that are specific to different applications for telehealth that can be accessed by anyone who would benefit from the information. These resources will include a general overview of telehealth that was modified from the NRTRC quick start guide, but tailored to Montana- providing links and references to specific regulations and applications where appropriate. Specific content areas that will also be part of these tip sheets and resource guides include information on on-demand telehealth, ambulatory, acute, remote patient monitoring, and others.  

The MTA thanks the NRTRC for the opportunity to continue to build its capacity to support and promote telehealth in the region.
Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center
“This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under G22RH31114, Coronavirus Telehealth Resource Center’s Grant Program in the amount of $325,000. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.”