Skip to main content

Join Us on August 1st!

Bridging Rural Communities: Telehealth Innovations for Appalachia and Beyond is a unique, multi-site convening designed to showcase and document best practices in telehealth across the Appalachian region. This full-day event will bring together professionals, policymakers, and program leaders committed to improving rural health through innovative telehealth solutions.

Featuring short and engaging (think TED-style) talks clustered around the region’s top health priorities—mental health, diabetes, substance use disorder, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and emergency preparedness—each session will highlight effective strategies, lessons learned, and actionable insights.

Attendees will participate in facilitated discussions to identify best practices, contributing to a published proceedings in the Journal of Appalachian Health. Join us to connect, learn, and shape the future of telehealth in Appalachia and beyond.

Priority Focus Areas Include:
• Mental Health
• Diabetes
• Substance Use Disorder
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Cancer
• Emergency Preparedness

Best Practice Categories May Include:
• Communication/Marketing Messages & Strategies
• Addressing Broadband Challenges
• Digital Literacy Solutions
• Workflow Optimization
• Technology Selection
• Workforce/Staff Training
• Funding & Sustainability
• Measurement & Data Collection
• Lessons Learned from Failures

Presenter Nominations

Do you know someone with a powerful story about how telehealth is transforming lives in Appalachia? Maybe that someone is you.

We’re seeking real-world inspiring stories that spotlight innovative uses of telehealth to improve health and wellbeing in rural Appalachian communities—or nearby regions facing similar challenges. Telehealth is broadly defined and can include: live video or audio-only visits, remote patient monitoring, mobile apps and chatbots, smartphone-based solutions, digital health education, public health outreach using digital tools and any other creative use of technology to support health care or education from a distance.
We are especially interested in stories that demonstrate meaningful impact in one or more of the following areas:
  • Mental Health
  • Diabetes
  • Substance Use Disorder
  • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Cancer
  • Emergency Preparedness and Response

We welcome stories of triumph over challenge, lessons learned, and creative problem-solving—especially from individuals and organizations working directly within the communities they serve.

If Selected

  • Your story will be featured as a short and engaging (10-12 minute, think TED-style) prepared talk at the Bridging Rural Communities Event on August 1st, 2025.
  • You will receive personal mentoring support to help you prepare your talk.
  • Your presentations will be live-streamed and recorded from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.  If you are unable to travel on that day, we’ll work with you to pre-record your talk at UVA and have you join virtually for the Q&A).
  • Travel assistance is available as needed.

Best practices identified from selected stories will also be included in a published Compendium of Appalachian Telehealth Best Practices, to appear in the Journal of Appalachian Health.

Nominations are due on/before July 1, 2025!
Submit A Nomination
Close Menu