Dear Friends of UTN,

Season’s Greetings from the Utah Telehealth Network! As we wrap up 2025, we’re deeply thankful for your partnership and excited for the opportunities ahead in 2026. Our priorities include expanding connectivity, advancing telehealth opportunities, and continuing our support for the Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center (NRTRC). Most importantly, we remain committed to listening to healthcare providers and collaborating with partners to deliver innovative solutions that strengthen care across Utah.

Congratulations to Trevor Olsen, honored this year with the Deborah LaMarche Telehealth Excellence Award for his remarkable efforts to expand behavioral health services for students in San Juan County. His work highlights the power of partnerships, the importance of addressing the unique needs of rural communities, and the role of technology in bridging gaps in care. Read the full award announcement here.

Last fall, we joined our healthcare partners in supporting Utah’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) application to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) — a major step toward improving access, innovation, and sustainability in rural healthcare. As RHTP moves into implementation, UTN looks forward to advancing its goals through strategic partnerships. Stay tuned for updates early next year!

In the near future, we intend to publish a Request for Proposal (RFP) to add new healthcare sites in 2026 to the UTN network for existing healthcare partners. These sites will benefit from high-speed broadband connectivity, managed security services, technology training support, and (if eligible) financial discounts through the federal Rural Healthcare Connect Fund Program.

School-based Telehealth is steadily expanding, with 100 telehealth kits currently deployed across 10 Utah school districts. Increased utilization has been made possible, in large part, through Intermountain Health’s collaboration with school nurses and district leadership to guide program implementation. Looking ahead, UTN will continue working closely with stakeholders statewide—providing technology and technical assistance—to support the ongoing growth and long-term sustainability of school-based telehealth in 2026 and beyond.

This year, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Office of Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) awarded over $18 million to two National Telehealth Resource Centers and 12 Regional Telehealth Resource Centers to provide expert and customized telehealth technical assistance across the country. We're proud that the Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center (NRTRC) was among the TRCs to be refunded, continuing to serve seven western states with training, technical assistance, and outreach to strengthen telehealth in rural communities. Learn more about NRTRC's resources and sign up to receive their newsletter here.

Looking ahead, UTN is committed to fostering partnerships that address the evolving needs of our healthcare members, with a focus on expanding access, enhancing service quality, improving affordability, and advancing patient outcomes across Utah.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a healthy new year!

Warmly,

Sarah Bauman

Director, UTN

Happy Holidays from the UTN Family

A heartfelt Thank You! to Jan McEwan and Jo-Ann Wong! Jan and Jo-Ann retired this year after many years of service to the mission of making care more accessible and affordable for providers and patients throughout Utah. We're grateful for your service and we will miss both of you!

Left to right: Kate Richards (Accounting Specialist), Jo-Ann Wong (former Administrative Assistant), Marz Cesarini (Associate Director IT) Sarah Bauman (Director, Telehealth Services), Jan McEwan (former Senior IT Manager), Brian Crowther (Senior IT Manager), Jaleen Johnson (NRTRC Assistant Program Director) Chotie Chevasuttho (Financial Mgmt. Analyst). Not pictured: Nicki Perisho (Director, NRTRC).

Noteworthy Telehealth Resources & News!

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) published a webpage with updates about the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) that includes a link to the full application submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). Funding is expected to be awarded to the state by December 31, 2025. Access the application and the state's seven priority initiatives here.

NRTRC Update on Telehealth Fee Schedule and Flexibilities: The 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule brings significant, permanent telehealth expansions—especially beneficial for rural and underserved communities. Meanwhile, Congress has extended several critical flexibilities into 2026. NRTRC's policy brief outlines what has been finalized, what remains temporary, and how these changes could affect clinics, residency programs, and patient access. In addition, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) updated their Telehealth FAQ for CY 2026 on 11/20/25. 

The Rural Health Information Hub provides valuable resources, trainings, and event information related to telehealth and health information for rural healthcare providers. Visit here to find upcoming telehealth event information and links to topics such as capital funding for rural healthcare, cybersecurity, healthcare access, and more!

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) offers free cybersecurity services to help healthcare organizations reduce their exposure to threats by taking a proactive approach to monitoring and mitigating attack vectors. Check out available resources here.

Broadband Fact Sheet: Reliable and affordable internet access is essential for consumers and patients needing digital health resources. This Consumer Broadband Fact Sheet | National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers provides an overview to help consumers understand broadband internet and its role in digital health, defining broadband, digital health, how to access broadband speed, and how to access digital health without internet access.