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Top Telehealth News
Sen. Britt Reintroduces Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Telehealth Access (Source: Alabama Political Reporter) U.S. Senator Katie Britt, R-Ala., joined Senators Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii; Roger Wicker, R-Miss.; and 63 of their bipartisan Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies for Health Act. Telemedicine in Ambulances Speeds Up Care for Patients in Rural Georgia (Source: Emory News Center) During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Michael Carr had time to reflect on the medical landscape of rural Georgia and began thinking about a problem: Rural communities all over the country, including Georgia, had been losing hospitals for many years due to financial strain. Carr, who trained in emergency medicine, knew these rural hospital closures were especially bad news for critical conditions, such as stroke, heart attacks and major trauma that needed immediate medical care. VA Officials Acknowledge the Need for Privacy for Telehealth Therapy (Source: NPR) The US Department of Veterans Affairs appears to be backing off a plan to send telehealth therapists back to offices that may lack privacy, according to a memo obtained by NPR. Addressing widespread concerns over mental health clinicians' ability to conduct confidential sessions, officials from the VA have issued a memo saying that providers must have private workspaces "that foster trusted, confidential, and therapeutic relationships with Veterans," when they return to their offices in the coming weeks. RPM Use in Medicare Booming, But Policy Changes Needed (Source: TechTarget) Though a small percentage of Medicare beneficiaries use remote patient monitoring (RPM) services overall, the utilization has grown exponentially in recent years, necessitating policy changes and new payment incentives, according to a new Peterson Center on Healthcare report.
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Recent TRC Resources
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| The Telehealth Policy Cliff: Preparing For October 1, 2025 (Created by NCTRC) |
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| The National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers (NCTRC) created a webpage titled The Telehealth Policy Cliff: Preparing for October 1, 2025, which addresses the impending changes to Medicare telehealth services should the key telehealth flexibilities expire on September 30th, 2025. It outlines key impacts, including the possible return of geographic and facility restrictions, loss of reimbursement for at-home telehealth visits, and limitations on services provided by FQHCs and RHCs. The page offers strategies for healthcare providers, policymakers, and stakeholders to prepare for these shifts and stay informed. To stay informed, this webpage will be updated regularly. |
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| Navigating the Telehealth Neighborhood (Created by NRTRC) |
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| The Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center (NRTRC) is excited to share some updates from the Navigating the Telehealth Neighborhood training(s)! Our initial course “A Guide to Telehealth from Digital Navigators” has been updated and renamed to “A Guide to Telehealth Basics and Virtual Appointments.” This refreshed version offers a clearer focus on the fundamentals of telehealth and how digital navigators—and anyone supporting others—can assist patients, learners, or loved ones with virtual care access and prepping for a telehealth appointment. We’re also thrilled to announce that a new course—Patient Portal Training for Digital Navigators—is slated to launch in May 2025! Thanks to the amazing feedback we received on the first course, this new course offering aims to help digital navigators guide users through the essentials of patient portals, from account setup and key features to overcoming common challenges and encouraging confident health management online. Stay tuned for the release announcement, and in the meantime, we encourage you to explore the updated telehealth basics course! |
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| Telehealth Talk - Cultivando Confianza [Building Trust] (Created by SCTRC) |
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The South Central Telehealth Resource Center (SCTRC) released a new episode of the Telehealth Talk podcast. En este episodio, acompañe a nuestros presentadores mientras hablamos sobre cómo generar confianza con los pacientes a través de la telesalud. Nos acompaña Suleima Salgado, directora ejecutiva de la Alianza Global para la Telesalud. [In this episode, join our hosts as we discuss building trust with patients through telehealth. We’re joined by Suleima Salgado, Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Telehealth.] |
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Upcoming Telehealth Events
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| American Telemedicine Association Nexus 2025 |
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Nexus 2025 will convene leading healthcare delivery organizations and the solution providers that support them, government agencies, payors, and other stakeholders to share critical insights and build action plans that enable virtual care as an indispensable care modality and permanent part of healthcare delivery. Nexus 2025 is where the future of healthcare is being built. We’re bringing the future of telehealth to the Crescent City. Join the chant, be part of the innovation, and let’s march toward the next era of healthcare together! The conference will take place in New Orleans, LA from May 3 – 6, 2025. Use code NCTRC for $300 off the regular registration rate.
REGISTER HERE > |
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Telehealth T-Time is a monthly virtual event for a community of telehealth enthusiasts! The meetings consist of three sessions, exploring innovative telehealth and digital health use cases/solutions.
- Are you passionate about telehealth, virtual care, and digital health?
- Do you support telehealth services from a clinical, operational, or technical perspective?
- Do you “deliver care at a distance”?
- Have you been looking for the opportunity to connect and network with your peers?
Then join us for one, two, or three sessions presented by your fellow telehealth enthusiast peers on Thursday, May 15th from 11 AM - 2 PM ET.
REGISTER HERE > |
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For more TRC events, view our events page!
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NCTRC Webinar Series
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| Our webinar series provides informative and educational material on all things telehealth related. Subscribe to our YouTube channel here. |
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The NCTRC hosts an educational webinar every 3rd Thursday of the month from 11 AM - 12 PM PT.UPCOMING WEBINAR INFORMATIONWebinar Topic: Integrating Frontlines of Care and Specialty Services: Digital Health Tools and Autonomous AI As the Missing LinkHosting TRC: California Telehealth Resource Center (CTRC)When: May 15, 2025 @ 11 AM - 12 PM PT
This session explains how the strategic use of digital health tools and especially autonomous AI can streamline chronic disease management and improve outcomes. We focus on diabetes management and the autonomous diabetic eye exam as real world case studies at scale. As healthcare systems face increasing pressure to expand access and reduce costs, digital modalities will no longer operate in silos but will converge into integrated care pathways. It allows frontlines of care such as primary care clinics (FQHCs) to focus on chronic disease management in its totality across all organ systems. Autonomous AI and other digital health decision support tools applied regularly to each of these patients, ensures that those, but only those, patients that stand to benefit from specialty care for a complication, will be identified, scheduled and followed through via telehealth or in-person care . Attendees will gain insight into how these tools work in tandem to transform care delivery into a continuous process and shift the model from reactive treatment to proactive prevention. 
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Telehealth Blog Post
The Telehealth Resource Centers are excited to share blog posts providing a detailed account of a specific use of telehealth in the real world.
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| From the Upper Midwest Telehealth Resource Center (UMTRC)
Telehealth for Autistic Adults: An Accessibility Tool Worth Using
April is Autism Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing understanding and acceptance of autistic individuals. While much attention is given to children, autistic adults also require support and accessible healthcare options. Unfortunately, they often face significant challenges in accessing necessary medical services. Telehealth has emerged as a powerful tool to bridge these gaps, providing autistic adults with more accessible, comfortable, and effective healthcare options.
Barriers to Care
Accessibility Challenges for Autistic AdultsAutistic adults frequently encounter barriers to healthcare due to sensory sensitivities, communication difficulties, and the lack of autism-informed providers. These obstacles can make in-person medical visits stressful and, at times, inaccessible. Studies have shown that overall autistic adults have poorer mental and physical health we well as reduced life expectancy compared with non-autistic people. Overlooked and UnderservedWhat’s more, many autistic adults are overlooked in healthcare discussions, as services often focus on children. This leaves a gap in care that can result in untreated health conditions, difficulty managing chronic illnesses, and inadequate mental health support. Additionally, long wait times, complex appointment scheduling, and the need for social interaction in traditional healthcare settings can further discourage autistic adults from seeking medical care.
How Can Autistic Adults Benefit from Telehealth?
Expanded Access to ServicesAs discussed above, autistic adults frequently struggle to connect with care. A myriad of different types of care can be effectively delivered through telehealth – both general and more specific to autistic adults. Telehealth offers a range of services that can greatly benefit autistic adults, including:
- Routine medical consultations
- Mental health counseling
- Speech and occupational therapy
- Medication management
- Specialized autism-informed healthcare support...
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