In partnership with the Digital Equity Fund of the Essex County Community Foundation, the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) at MassTech has awarded a $226,660 grant to the FQHC Telehealth Consortium to support a new Telehealth Navigator Program that will increase access to telehealth and address issues of digital equity in under-resourced communities in Essex County.

The FQHC Telehealth Consortium is a partnership of C3 and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, established to address health disparities through telemedicine, achieve sustainable telehealth capacity at FQHCs, and measure, evaluate, and disseminate learnings. The two FQHCs participating in the Telehealth Navigator Program, Lynn Community Health Center and North Shore Community Health, will hire telehealth navigators from within the communities they serve to engage patients.

Read more about the Telehealth Navigator Program here.

On November 18, 2021, the Massachusetts Caregiver Coalition held a Summit in Boston to highlight the needs of unpaid family caregivers. The Coalition’s mission is to work with employers to increase awareness of – and support for – unpaid family caregivers in the Commonwealth and ensure that all employers have the tools necessary to recognize, honor, and support family caregivers. The video recording of the event is now available here.

Resources presented during the Summit included the Any Care Counts MA Campaign which aims to heighten awareness of family caregivers among employers and connect caregivers to resources available in Massachusetts. Research in 2020 by the National Alliance of Caregivers estimates that 21% of Americans provided unpaid care to an adult over the age of 18 in the last 12 months, equating to approximately one million Commonwealth residents. Participate in this campaign by visiting anycarecountsma.com and taking the confidential 2-minute survey. Participants will receive a Caregiver Intensity Score, a snapshot of the top factors driving that score, and information on available support resources. 

Massachusetts digital health companies are actively seeking staff with experience in healthcare to bring operations and clinical expertise to their organizations. As the only free resource solely dedicated to open digital health roles in Massachusetts, the MassDigitalHealth jobs board is the best way to find opportunities in this growing sector. Below are just a few examples of the over 3,500 open roles currently on the board:

Find your next career at jobs.massdigitalhealth.org.

Questions? Email Katie Green at green@masstech.org.

HIMSS22 NursePitch^TM Innovation Workshop

HIMSS is an annual health information and technology conference, where professionals connect for education, innovation, and collaboration. HIMSS22 will take place March 14-18 in Orlando, Florida. In collaboration with the American Nurses Association, HIMSS22 is pleased to host the NursePitch™ Innovation Workshop, designed to increase the voice, opportunity, and visibility of the nursing audience in the digital health ecosystem.

Join MeHI and the MassCyberCenter Thursday, March 10 at 10:00am for our monthly health care provider cybersecurity call. As always, we will be joined by representatives from CISA New England and the Commonwealth Fusion Center who will provide updates on recent cyber threats and trends.

These calls occur on the second Thursday of every month and feature a discussion leader from MeHI and the MassCyberCenter, CISA, the Commonwealth Fusion Center, and additional guest speakers to provide updates on emerging threats and cover a monthly topic of interest from the group. You can register for the call now by visiting our Zoom registration page. If you have any questions, please email fathy@masstech.org.

Join us on Wednesday, March 2 at Noon as we explore these topics. Hear from caregivers and leaders in the field about what to know and preventative steps and support for family caregivers in Massachusetts. Click here to register.

Presented by the Mass Caregiving Initiative at MeHI, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs, and Mass Home Care, in collaboration with AARP Massachusetts.

MeHI is proud to be a sponsor of the second annual Revolutionize Conference, presented by the Age-Friendly Institute and Aging 2.0. This one-of-a-kind event will take place on April 28-29, 2022 at the Seaport Hotel & Conference Center in Boston. As a center of research, education, healthcare, policy, and innovation, Boston is the ideal home for this international event promoting innovations in aging. To learn more and join us as we revolutionize our approach to aging, click here.