Greetings Northwest Region:

NRTRC Monthly Highlights

Tier II of the NRTRC telehealth facility finder is now live! This addition includes Alaska, Oregon, Utah and Washington, which completes the NRTRC’s online Telehealth Finder mapping tool. Find facilities near you that offer telehealth services. Get your facility on the map, click here.

2022 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule The Calendar Year 2022 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule (CY2022 PFS FR) is out! The unpublished version can be downloaded from the Federal Register here. If you’re not keen on reading all those pages, check out CMS' CY 2022 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule fact sheet for the highlights.

Join the National Rural Health Day Celebration Nov. 18 The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health has designated the third Thursday of November as National Rural Health Day “Celebrate the Power of Rural” by honoring the community-minded spirit that prevails in rural America! Learn more about how you can support National Rural Health Day.

Telehealth News The Center for Connected Health Policy is conducting a survey to keep you up to date on the telehealth policy landscape in your state and across the nation. Help CCHP by taking the survey.    The secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Xavier Becerra, has extended the Public Health Emergency for another 90 days, effective Oct. 18. This means telehealth flexibilities, waivers and other Medicare and Medicaid policies in place since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic remain in effect through Jan. 16, 2022.   In October the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new modification to the place of service (POS) code for telehealth, which will go into effect January 1, 2022 and will start being implemented April 4, 2022. Previously POS 02 was used for patients receiving telehealth services located in their home. Moving forward, a new POS, 10, is being added for telehealth specifically provided to patients in their home. For more information, read the full Medicare Learning Network (MLN) announcement. The Biden administration has set aside nearly $1 billion in American Rescue Plan funds to modernize health centers and support underserved communities. The money can be used by health centers for capital improvements and to purchase new equipment, including telehealth technologies.   The FCC has awarded an additional $40.46 million to 71 healthcare providers as part of its Round 2 of funding under the CARES act. "Advances in telehealth continue to help bridge the gap in health care for our most vulnerable populations and keep Americans connected with their doctors, nurses, and health care providers in the face of the pandemic,” said FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated an unanticipated innovation: the transition from in-person group visits to telehealth visits in a mindful-eating healthy nutrition program. The Annals of Family Medicine reports that two facilities — one in Massachusetts and one in Denver — moved their individual and group visits onto telehealth platforms with some benefits.

Upcoming Events & Webinars:

Advancing Health Equity Among the Hispanic Population | Session #1: Breaking Down Social Barriers of Health Amid a Pandemic: This four-part webinar series, presented in Spanish, will focus on on best practices and opportunities for action. The series will discuss factors that contribute to health disparities, barriers to health equity and successful strategies to improve access to care and equity among Hispanic populations. Nov. 17, 11 a.m. to noon, Mountain Time. ATA Telehealth Policy Update: Tune in for the American Telemedicine Association's monthly telehealth policy webinar update. The meeting will be led by Kyle Zebley, ATA Vice President of Public Policy. Nov. 18, 11 a.m. to noon, Mountain Time. Toddler Tracks Online Autism Resources: Learn about "Toddler Tracks," a free, online, early-intervention training program for parents of children with autism. Presented by the Southeast Telehealth Resource Center. Nov. 18, noon to 1 p.m. Mountain Time. Lessons Learned and the Future of HIV Telehealth in 2022: This webinar will discuss some of the lessons learned in implementing telehealth for HIV treatment programs during the coronavirus pandemic. Dec. 7, 11 a.m.-noon Mountain Time.

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

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

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. Example resources include a Critical Access Hospital Telehealth Guide and a webinar on Telehealth Essentials for FQHCs. Emergency Declarations: Check on the emergency status in your state.  Updated legislation and regulations: Keep up with regulations and proposed legislation for the states of the Northwest Region.

Read the Results! The results of the NRTRC’s 2021 Annual Northwest Region Telehealth Survey are now available. Some categories in the survey include geographic distribution, special populations served and healthcare services delivered by telehealth. An interesting response showcased that 69% of respondents will continue to offer telehealth services after the public health declaration is lifted. Click here to see the results.

Conference Success! Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR) 2021 Yellowstone Conference: Resilience in the Face of Adversity, was a tremendous success!  NRTRC presented on a panel focusing on treatment and technology, helping educators, community organizations and healthcare providers enhance their ability to remain connected to clients and patients throughout this challenging pandemic. The conference had 126 participants who received information about utilizing technology as an integral part of the treatment process, enabling underserved voices to be heard.

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.”