Dear Colleagues,
We hope your new year is off to a great start and are doing well amidst one of the more unique winter weather seasons in recent memory for the Northeast region.
We're back with another edition of Northeast Connections to help you prepare for new year filled with telehealth opportunities and events! As you've come to expect, the NETRC team has what you need to catch up, and lots of telehealth updates to share with you this month! T his edition aims to help you digest the multitudes of things happening across the telehealth landscape; including: an exciting annoucement about NETRC2024, Policy updates, NCTRC member Resources, Upcoming Webinars & Events for 2024, & so much more!
As always, please don't hesitate to reach out with your telehealth questions, success stories, or just to say hello; we hope to hear from you!
On behalf of the entire NETRC Team – Be Well,
Reid Plimpton, MPH - Project Manager
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Upcoming Webinars & Events |
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Save the Date for Our Annual Conference |
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The NETRC Team is excited to announce that we will be hosting our 10th Annual Conference at the Courtyard Marriott in Nashua, NH from Monday, September 16 through Wednesday, September 18. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for an official registration link and call for abstracts! |
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Federal Legislation
HR 3432 (Rep. Matsui D-CA) - Provides that the geographic restriction in Medicare won’t apply to both mental health and behavioral health services after the public health emergency (PHE) ends. Also eliminates the requirement for an in-person visit within six months of an initial telehealth mental health service and subsequently as determined by the Secretary. Requires a report to Congress on the utilization of mental and behavioral health services furnished through telehealth under the new section, with recommendations related to fraud and abuse and funding for the Office of Inspector General for oversight activities. (Status: 5/17/23 – Introduced in House)
HR 3440 (Rep. Pappas D-NH)/ SB 1636 (Sen. Manchin D-WV) - To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. (Status: HR 3440: 5/17/23 – Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; S 1636 – Referred to Senate Committee on Finance)
HR 3129 (Rep. Sessions R-TX) - Specifies that the telehealth COVID flexibilities in Medicare that were originally extended until Dec. 31, 2024, would be deemed to continue to apply after December 1, 2024. This would include the allowance for audio-only telehealth services, waiver of the geographic and originating site requirements, and allowance for FQHCs/RHCs as distant sites, as well as physical therapists, occupational therapists, audiologists and speech language pathologists as distant site providers. (Status: 5/9/23 – Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and the Workforce)
HR 3305 (Rep Underwood D-IL)/S 1606 (Sen Booker D-NJ) - Creates integrated telehealth models in maternity care services providing for the adoption of and use of telehealth tools that allow for screening, monitoring and management of common health complications with respect to an individual receiving medical assistance during such individual's pregnancy and for not more than a 1-year period beginning on the last day of the pregnancy. (Status: HR 3305: 5/15/23 – Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Education and Workforce, Veterans’ Affairs, Natural Resources; Judiciary/S 1606: 5/15/23 – Referred to Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions)
For additional insights in to what's happening in the Policy world, check out CCHP's newest materials!
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National Resources: News & Events from the NCTRC |
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2024 MATRC Summit
In Person April 14-16 | Pocono Manor, PA
Register now to lock in the early bird rate and secure your spot! Discounted Early Bird Registration for #MATRC2024 ends Wednesday, January 31st!
Join our vibrant and collaborative MATRC Community to propel your teleheath aspirations beyond by:
- Exploring practical ideas and analyses
- Learning how to make things happen – even in a fluid policy environment
- Accelerating your telehealth vision
- Developing relationships and becoming part of a community that will last well beyond the Summit
Engage with your telehealth colleagues from DC, DE, KY, MD, NC, NJ, PA, VA & WV to:
- Exploring research based best telehealth practices
- Learning about technical advances (including AI)
- Developing connections to expand your network
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The National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers (NCTRC) 2023 Annual Report is now available! Through significant expertise and partnerships with stakeholders, the NCTRC rose to the challenge of helping the nation advance telehealth in an ever-changing healthcare landscape. As there continues to be increased interest in the field of telehealth, the TRCs remain committed to providing vital technical assistance, training and resources to the nation’s healthcare system and citizens. For more information, read the full report.
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In case you missed it: CCHP’s 50 State Report Release The Spring 2023 updated summary of findings from the policy data CCHP chronicles in its Policy Finder is now available. Additionally, CCHP has created a state summary chart showing where states stand on many key telehealth policies, as well as an infographic highlighting our key findings. The information for this summary report is based on information CCHP has collected between January and March 2023 in the Policy Finder on CCHP’s website. Temporary policies tied to the COVID-19 emergency are excluded from the analysis, unless they have been made permanent or extended for multiple years. Historically CCHP has provided these bi-annual summary reports in the Spring and Fall each year to provide a snapshot of the progress made in the past six months. Commencing in Fall 2023, the summary report will be exclusively offered in the Fall, with three distinct rounds of updates to each jurisdiction in the Policy Finder in the interim, ensuring the information on the CCHP website remains current and up to date.
The most notable shift observed in this Spring 2023 edition was the expanded inclusion of additional telehealth modalities for specific use cases in many Medicaid programs. In most instances states already reimbursed for these modalities in a limited capacity, but we saw the policies broaden or be refined in this Spring 2023 update. Audio-only reimbursement was one modality that saw growth. Throughout the pandemic, Medicaid programs commonly allowed for reimbursement of audio-only as a temporary policy but many have now begun to transition it to their permanent policy, although often in a limited capacity (for example only for mental health services).
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GIVING THANKS THAT THE FINAL PFS RULES ARE PUBLISHED!
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The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) Presents: New Telehealth Resources for Health Centers
NACHC is excited to collaborate with National Health Center Telehealth Resource Center (TRC) to pilot a project intended to provide technical assistance (TA) to health centers who are determining how and if they will sustain telehealth operations and virtual modalities coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic and Public Health Emergency designation (PHE). Find out more about this joint project below.
TA products available:
3. Direct Telehealth Billing Technical Assistance/Triage –Targeted TA for FQHC telehealth billing questions now has a dedicated consultative service available triaged by the Center for Connected Health Policy,
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New HHS Resources Focus on Telehealth Patient Privacy
CCHP's In-Focus | November 7, 2023
PROVIDER RESOURCE:
PATIENT RESOURCE:
The guidance documents are intended to help educate patients about potential privacy risks when using telehealth and ways to mitigate such risks.
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HRSA-24-019
Primary Care Training and Enhancement: Physician Assistant Rural Training in Behavioral Health (PCTE-PARB) Program Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration
Posted Date:Dec 15, 2023
Current Closing Date for Applications:Mar 15, 2024
Estimated Total Program Funding:$ 5,000,000
Award Ceiling:$415,000
To learn more and apply go here
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Upcoming Webinars and Events |
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We're thrilled to be a partner of the upcoming #ATANexus event this May 5-7,2024 for a convergence of ideas and innovation in virtual healthcare. Join us for an opportunity to network & learn from the best. Use promo code NETRC for $300 off a full registration
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Join Project ECHO: Aging, Community, and Equity to learn about the impact of the pandemic on the mental and physical well-being of older adults living in rural communities and share potential solutions. There is no cost to participate. Please see the flyer for additional information.
Intended audience:
- Medical, behavioral, and social service providers
- Nursing facility, home health, home care, and hospice
- Transportation and other community-based organizations
- Any other individuals or groups across the long-term care continuum
Time: Every other Wednesday from 12:30pm-1:30pm EST (February 14 – May 8, 2024)
The project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $475,000 annually with 100% funded by HRSA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, HRSA/HHS or the U.S. Government.
This project is funded by HRSA and is brought to you by CARE2, a collaboration between Medical Care Development and University of New Hampshire Institute for Health Policy and Practice.
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The New England Rural Health Association Invites You to Join this Three-Part Webinar Series presented by 3RNET |
Recruiting and retaining hard-to-find health professionals is one of the biggest challenges for organizations located in rural and underserved communities. It’s vital to have a strategic approach that emphasizes recruiting the right candidates and having engagement processes in place that will ensure new employees become rooted into the organization and the community from the start.
This webinar series will follow 3RNET’s recruiting for retention guiding principles and best practices, curated by years of collective expertise in the field, particularly for rural and underserved communities nationwide. We will evaluate current workforce trends driving today’s job market and discuss how this impacts your hiring abilities. Participants will discover helpful tools, resources, and practical solutions for recruiting and retaining health professionals into rural and underserved communities.
Part 1: Marketing Planning and Preparation
Feb. 2, 2024 | 10:00 - 11:30 EST
Part 2: Sourcing & Screening Candidate
March 1, 2024 | 10:00 - 11:30 EST
Part 3: Retention & Renewing Your Culture
April 5, 2024 | 10:00 - 11:30 EST
Please see the attached flyer for more information and to register!
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AHRQ Safety Program for Telemedicine: Improving Antibiotic Use
Two million infections per year are caused by antibiotic resistant organisms, leading to 35,000 deaths per year in the United States. Meanwhile, one-third of outpatient antibiotic prescriptions and half of the prescriptions for acute respiratory infections are unnecessary. Learn how to improve patient safety and reduce harm associated with antibiotics in a free 18-month AHRQ program that starts in June 2024.
We’re recruiting clinics and providers that want to improve antibiotic prescribing.
Benefits of Participating:
- Improve efficiency and patient satisfaction with antibiotic prescribing, using approaches such as scripting for live and patient portal interactions.
- Perform better on antibiotic-related quality measures (e.g., Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set [HEDIS], Merit-based Incentive Payment System [MIPS], and The Joint Commission Antimicrobial Stewardship standards).
- Receive continuing education credits (CEUs), continuing medical education credits (CMEs), and American Board of Internal Medicine Maintenance of Certification (MOC) points through live and/or self-paced materials.
Virtual Program Includes: Monthly 20-minute webinars and office hours to learn best practices in the treatment of common outpatient infectious concerns through live interactions with infectious diseases experts.
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The NYS Department of Health has just announced a new Telehealth Provider Survey. If you are a healthcare provider, please take this short survey to help inform future telehealth policy.
All questions regarding the Telehealth Provider Survey should be sent to the NYS DOH at Telehealth Policy
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Featured Telehealth News
A larger news compilation can be found on the NETRC site here.
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Internet Use Gaps Among Medicare Patients Shrinking Across Segments
mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE 1/23/2024 Link
Study results show that internet use rates increased the most among Medicare patients with lower internet use, but disparities remain across demographic lines.
Where Does the Industry Stand on Virtual-First Health Plans?
MedCityNews 1/21/2024 Link
During a recent webinar, industry leaders agreed that virtual-first health plans have significant potential to cut costs and improve members’ experiences — if executed well. They also noted that employers are more willing than ever to adopt these types of plans.
Palliative Care via Audio-Only Telehealth Boosts Quality of Life
mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE 1/19/202 Link
An audio-only telehealth intervention delivering palliative care to patients with chronic conditions improved quality of life scores, research shows.
Patients Use Telehealth When Clinicians Recommend, Require It
mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE 1/19/202 Link
Research shows that clinicians drive patient telehealth use, but younger adults are more likely to use telehealth because their clinician said so than those over 60.
Disruption from Weight Loss Drugs Has Only Scratched the Surface. Telehealth Can Help Overcome the Next Big Obstacle
MedCityNews 1/18/2024 Link
Telehealth is poised to serve as an essential tool to fill an exploding demand for care. Providers and digital health companies need to act now by expanding telehealth offerings that include on-demand care teams knowledgeable and experienced in GLP-1 drugs, but also overall health and wellness strategies.
Why digital equity is important to conducting better telemedicine
HealthcareITNews 1/18//202 Link
Alexandra Hunter, virtual care consultant at Henry Ford Health, previews her HIMSS24 session, where she will explore ways in which Henry Ford and other health systems have addressed equity gaps and overcome barriers.
Baptist Health uses telemedicine to enable 24/7 vital care for suicidal patients
HealthcareITNews 1/17/2024 Link
"From a patient safety perspective, this was a very important milestone for us to achieve to ensure that we are providing the highest level of care to one of our most vulnerable patient populations," the health system's chief nurse executive says.
Counties with Urgent Mental Healthcare Needs Face Telehealth Barriers
mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE 1/16/2024 Link
A new study reveals that US counties with low densities of mental healthcare resources also have a higher percentage of homes without broadband access.
FCC Updates Funding Program to Boost Rural Telehealth Adoption
mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE 1/12/2024 Link
The agency published the final rule for its Rural Health Care Program, updating several provisions to reduce barriers to provider adoption of virtual care.
Telehealth more likely to have follow-ups compared with office visits, study finds
HEALTHCAREDIVE 1/10/2024 Link
Virtual care visits in most specialties were more likely to have a follow-up within seven days, but the gap between telehealth and office appointments narrowed after 30- or 90-day intervals.
Virtual group therapy enables Geisinger to treat more patients and maintain care continuity
HealthcareITNews 1/10/2024 Link
With waits for individual psychotherapy as long as several months and several thousand outstanding orders, the mostly rural health system needed a solution. Combining group therapy and telemedicine was the answer.
New Research Links Hospital-at-Home Care to Positive Patient Outcomes
mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE 1/10/2024 Link
A new study reveals that hospital-at-home programs established under the CMS waiver have low mortality and skilled nursing facility use rates.
Last month the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced an expansion of the Home Test to Treat Program, which began during the pandemic to offer free COVID-19 virtual health services, including at-home tests and treatments, as well as telehealth visits. The program has now been expanded to include testing, treatment, and telehealth visits related to the flu.
Telehealth, High-Speed Internet Access May Not Close Care Gaps
mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE 1/09/2024 Link
Access to telehealth and high-speed internet increases primary care use overall, but healthcare disparities persist, a new study shows.
Telehealth offers advantages for treating children with feeding disorders
HealthcareITNews 1/08/2024 Link
One professional's shift to virtual care showed improved results for children learning to eat in their own homes with their parents, rather than in provider settings – and she's since made the shift to 100% virtual.
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Recommended Telehealth Research/Resources
Check out the complete Telehealth Library Database on the NETRC site here.
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Health equity in telehealth
Telehealth.HHS.gov 2024 Link
Unmet Need Score Map Tool
Preparing mental health providers for the future: the case for moving beyond the elective telehealth course to integrating telehealth training throughout the curriculum
Kathy Wibberly 2024 frontiers Link
Patient Satisfaction With Telemedicine Among Vulnerable Populations in an Urban Ambulatory Setting
Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule Summary: CY 2024
Brief History of Telehealth and Telemedicine-
Upper Midwest Telehealth Resource Center; 2023 Link
Rural-Urban Disparities in video telehealth use during rapid mental health care virtualization among American Indian/ Alaska Native
Kusters IS, Amspoker AB, Frosio K, et al; 2023 Link
Telehealth Privacy Tips for Patients
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration ; 2023 Link
Patient Satisfaction with Telehealth at an Academic Medical Center Primary Care Clinic
Verma H, Hasegawa D, Tepper DL, Burger AP, Weissman MA.; 2023 Link
CMS Resource: Maximizing Access to Affordable, High-Quality Health Care Coverage Preparing for Launch: Early Lessons Learned from Health Centers on Selecting New Technology and Tools for Virtual Care
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services; 2023 Link
Preparing for Launch-Early Lessons Learned from Health Centers on Selecting New Technology and Tools for Virtual Care
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Bureau of Primary Care 2023 Link
Information for Critical Access Hospitals
Medicare Learning Network Link
The State of AI in Maine Digital Report
The Roux Institute Northern Eastern University, 2023 Link
Customizable Communications Toolkit
National Rural Health Resource Center. 2023 Link
NCTRC Annual Report 2022
7 Essential Recommendations for FQHC Leaders to Ensure Success and Sustainability
oatmeal health, 2023 Link
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The Northeast Telehealth Resource Center has been made possible by grant numbers G22RH30352 and 1 U1UTH42523‐01‐00 from the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth: HRSA / DHHS. |
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