View the Notice of Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov and apply by March 20

The Delta Health Systems Implementation Program is open and accepting applications for the program’s two-year period of performance that begins in September 2025.  HRSA expects to grant five awards, each up $400,000 for a two-year project to improve financial sustainability of provider organizations and increase access to care.

Eligible applicants include small rural hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, tribal healthcare facilities, and other healthcare organizations located in a rural county or parish in the Delta region. Applicants must propose projects based on recommendations received from previous technical assistance (TA) provided through the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program or another similar TA program within the last five years.

Examples of implementation projects include, but are not limited to:

• Financial and Operational: developing new service lines, increasing inpatient and swing bed volume, increasing outpatient services, implementing revenue cycle best practices to increase point of service collections, and optimizing emergency department operations.
• Quality: reducing readmissions, improving transitions of care and discharge planning, implementing performance measurement systems, clinical documentation integrity training, and utilizing data analytics.
• Telehealth: expanding telehealth services and enhancing cybersecurity.
• Workforce: recruitment initiatives, implementing new technology to increase clinical efficiency, simulation training for clinicians, and leadership training such as rounding to improve patient and employee satisfaction.

A technical assistance webinar via Zoom will be held for applicants on Wednesday, January 8, at 1:00 pm Eastern. For more information about this funding opportunity, contact the Program Coordinator, Suzanne Snyder, at RuralHospitals@hrsa.gov.

The post Notice of Funding Opportunity: Delta Health Systems Implementation Program appeared first on LearnTelehealth.

Imagine a world where anyone, anywhere, can walk into a local library, community center, or clinic and access a telehealth appointment with ease. That’s exactly what a Telehealth Access Point (TAP) offers: a device with a camera, speaker, microphone, a reliable internet connection, and the privacy to connect with a healthcare provider—all in a welcoming public space.

Right now, the NRTRC has mapped over 90 TAPs across the nation, but we know there are more out there! The goal is to map 100 TAPs by October 7th, just in time for Digital Inclusion Week!

If your organization, or one you know of anywhere in the country, offers a public space where people can access telehealth services, help us put it on the map by filling out this form. It only takes a few moments to make a big difference.

Join us in expanding telehealth access to communities everywhere. Let’s hit that 100 mark together!

For more information, check out the NRTRC user guide or contact us directly with any questions.

Thank you for being part of this journey!

P.S.) Want more information about Digital Inclusion Week? This week is an opportunity to Raise Awareness around Digital Inclusion, Its Urgency & Benefits. Visit the Digital Inclusion site for more information.

The post Help Us Reach 100 TAPs by Digital Inclusion Week – We’re So Close! appeared first on LearnTelehealth.

Intrapreneurs (in-truh-pruh-nor)

Individuals who are tasked with creating new and innovative products within an already-established business. Backed by a company’s available resources, intrapreneurs develop open-ended ideas and turn them into real-world products and services.

“This was the best conference I have ever been to! The information and how it was presented was very impactful. I am glad for the opportunity to attend.”

“Absolutely wonderful event. I was able to gain a lot of new perspective on the program we have currently and what we can do to make it more successful. Also had a great time getting to know others at the event.”

“Besides being a great learning experience, this was so much fun. It inspired me to change my teaching practices, trying to be more interactive. The networking was great.”

Our hosts in New Orleans served up good times and great food! We’re all back home now and ready to share, learn, and continue to serve our communities. Huge shout out to our attendees, supporters, and co-collaborators – UMMC Center of Excellence, MUSC Center of Excellence, TexLa Telehealth Resource Center, Southeastern Telehealth Resource Center, and the South Central Telehealth Resource Center. Let the Bootcamp Journey Begin!

The post Let The Journey Begin: Recap of the Telehealth Implementation Bootcamp 2024 Kick-Off appeared first on LearnTelehealth.

The post Rural Healthcare at Risk: The Urgent Need to Save Our Hospitals appeared first on LearnTelehealth.

In the rapidly evolving fields of healthcare and telehealth, having access to timely and reliable data is not just beneficial—it’s essential. Whether you’re drafting a grant proposal, embarking on a new research project, or seeking to enhance your existing programs, searching for high-quality information can be daunting. But fear not! The digital landscape is rich with resources that can serve as your guide to the wealth of healthcare and telehealth data available. Let us guide you through these hidden treasures, pointing the way to vital data sources that might help you along the way:

The post Unveiling Hidden Gems: Where to Find Vital Data for Research in Healthcare and Telehealth appeared first on LearnTelehealth.

Through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and in conjunction with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Arkansas Legislature, and the Arkansas Governor’s office, the Department of Human Services was approved to distribute approximately $20 million through grants for the purpose of building infrastructure essential to Medicaid programs and the continuum of care. These grants are open to Medicaid providers or providers who can attest they will enroll in Medicaid if a grant is awarded. The construction funded through these grants will house core services that offer treatment in community-based settings throughout Arkansas.

Open Opportunities

• Community Reintegration for Children
• Youth Substance Abuse Residential Treatment Facilities
• Adult Substance Abuse Residential Treatment Facilities
• Supported Housing Units for Young Adults
• Supported Housing for Adults
• Therapeutic Communities for Adults with IDD

Key Details:

• Grant Opening Date: May 3, 2024
• Application Portal: AR.gov/ARPAgrants

These grants are specifically tailored for Medicaid providers committed to enhancing Arkansas’ behavioral health landscape.

The post ARPA Grant Funding Opportunities For Arkansas Medicaid Providers appeared first on LearnTelehealth.

Each quarter, we’ll update the corresponding Virtual Visit Billing guides for AR, MS, and TN. Each state’s guide is customized for that state and its payers. You can find the most recent editions along with a summary update HERE.

The post SCTRC Region Billing & Reimbursement Recording Now Available appeared first on LearnTelehealth.

Wondering which TRC supports your region? Check out the TRC map.

About the SCTRC

The South Central Telehealth Resource Center (SCTRC) focuses on Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Our website, LearnTelehealth.org, offers a wealth of information and resources – virtual visit billing and reimbursement guides updated regularly, legislative news, events, webinars (such as the “Telehealth Roundup”), podcasts (TelehealthTalk), toolkits, and more. Additionally, we host satellite telehealth training centers and demo kits so providers can learn more about telehealth equipment and experience hands-on demos close to home.

A Myriad of Resources from the TRCs

Every month, TRCs develop new resources and tools to help patients and providers develop, maintain, or enhance their digital health/telehealth initiatives. Resources are updated regularly to provide the latest unbiased information.

This month, we feature “The Crystal Ball Project” from our colleagues at the National Telehealth Technology Assessment Resource Center aka TTAC. This project, convenes a panel of experts, to identify and provide an overview of the six key technologies that will have a significant impact on healthcare delivery over the next 3 to 5 years. Yes, AI is included.

But we can’t stop there –here are more featured resources from our TRC colleagues:

• National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers (NCTRC) – Feel free to start here on your search for telehealth information. The NCTRC site is a repository full of free resources and toolkits available to help you in your telehealth journey. One collection of resources – “Unwinding of the Public Health Emergency”, includes podcasts, webinars, fact sheets, news and more. Just in time. (Note – if you can’t find what you need, click contact us and we’ll point you to the right TRC to help.)
• Northwest TRC (NRTRC) – Another robust website, one of their many unique resources is the free course module, “Navigating the Telehealth Neighborhood: A Guide to Telehealth Access for Digital Navigators”. This is a great introduction to telehealth for anyone assisting a learner, patient, or loved one in accessing telehealth.
• Southeast (SETRC) – The SETRC has developed an innovative mobile Telehealth Learning Center (TLC) to bring telehealth awareness and education to schools, community fairs, employers, and more. The TLC gives potential patients comfort and awareness of how telehealth can make visits to the doctor a whole lot easier.
• TexLa TRC (TexLa) – The TexLa team hosts many events through the year including the Project ECHO series. Thankfully they post recordings of their sessions here with topics such as cybersecurity, telehealth technologies, and more.
• California TRC (CTRC) – The CTRC has developed an informative series of AI webinars and videos – a just-in-time solution to help us all learn more about this growing field.
• Upper Midwest TRC (UMTRC) – Telehealth & Health Equity Toolkit. This toolkit is intended to provide a closer look at telehealth and health equity.
• Great Plains TRC (gpTRAC) – The gpTRAC website includes multiple resources including a toolkit for FQHCS & RHCs.
• Mid-Atlantic TRC (MATRC) – Not only is the MATRC website a wonderful compendium of telehealth information, the annual MATRC Telehealth Summit is a great event to attend to learn more about telehealth, research, technology, and more.
• Pacific Basin TRC (PBTRC) – Our friends at PBTRC have collaborated to create some amazing patient videos from “What to Expect from a Telehealth Visit”, “Tips for Patients to Keep Their Telehealth Visits Private”, and more.
• Northeast TRC (NETRC) – NETRC has curated papers, research, reports and more in the Telehealth Library. This is a very useful tool for anyone looking for studies on telehealth.
• Southwest TRC (SWTRC) – The SWTRC is well-known for their excellent webinars on a myriad of topics as well as for their comprehensive Service Provider Directory. This is a great place to start if you’re looking for new technology, services, and partners in telehealth.
• Heartland TRC (HTRC) – HTRC hosts the “eStart Assessment” online tool to help assess the need for a new program at your organization or to evaluate an existing program to prepare for growth.
• Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) – Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t include this important, much-loved and much-used resource from the CCHP – the CCHP Policy Finder tool allows you to hone in on your state and the specific telehealth-related policy information you may need.

All of The TRCs are funded through cooperative agreements with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Office for the Advancement of Telehealth. The 12 regional TRCs cover all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the affiliated Pacific Islands, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The remaining two centers have a national focus and include the Center for Connected Health Policy and the Telehealth Technology Assessment Resource Center which focus on policy and telehealth technology, respectively.

So, what are you looking for? Let us know and we’ll help you find it. Happy to help!

The post Treasures from the TRCs: A Bounty of Resources appeared first on LearnTelehealth.

• FBI Warnings/Recommendations
  https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/safety-resources/scams-and-safety/on-the-internet
  (2nd bullet under Protect Your Connections)
• CNBC article
  https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/10/fbi-says-you-shouldnt-use-public-phone-charging-stations.html
• Norton Security Alert
  https://us.norton.com/blog/mobile/what-is-juice-jacking#
• Example USB Data Blocker (Amazon)
  https://www.amazon.com/PortaPow-3rd-Data-Blocker-Pack/dp/B00T0DW3F8/ref=asc_df_B00T0DW3F8/

Steps you can take to protect yourself:

1. Use your own USB cable and charging block in electrical outlets.
2. Have your own external battery to charge devices.
3. Use a USB pass-through filter device that disables the data pin on the USB connection.

Thanks to our friends at the Community Health Center Association of Mississippi, the HCCN, Mississippi Health Safe Net, and the Georgia Primary Care Association for sharing this information with us. 

The post Tech Tip: Cybersecurity “Juice Jacking” appeared first on LearnTelehealth.

Who is eligible?

There are two types of eligible applicants:

1. Competing Continuation Applicants: Eligible “competing continuation” applicants are entities that received a Licensure Portability Grant Program award in Fiscal Year 2019 and with a period of performance ending by June 30, 2024 who seek to continue the funded project.
2. New Applicants: Eligible applicants are state professional licensing boards including but not limited to organizations that are in consortia with, or associations of, state licensing boards that cooperate to develop and implement state policies that will reduce statutory and regulatory barriers to telehealth.

Please view the funding opportunity on grants.gov for complete eligibility information.

When are applications due?

The application is due April 8, 2024.

Where can I find out more?

Join the technical assistance webinar on February 21 at 3pm EST to learn about this funding opportunity.

The post New Funding Opportunity: Licensure Portability Grant Program appeared first on LearnTelehealth.