Telehealth Resource Centers Get COVID-19 Funding From CARES Act

The National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers has received additional funding to help healthcare providers and other groups use connected health platforms to take on the Coronavirus pandemic.

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Couched in last month’s CARES (Coronavirus Aid, relief and Economic Security) Act, the 12 regional and two national centers are each receiving $828,571. The money, doled out by the Health and Human Services Department’s Health Resources and Services Administration, will be used to provide technical support in areas that include technology acquisition, payment policy, system design and licensing and credentialing.

"As the nation combats COVID-19, telehealth is increasingly instrumental and effective as a tool to provide healthcare for patients across the country, especially the most vulnerable," HRSA Administrator Tom Engels said in a press release. "Providing the TRCs with this additional funding enables them to expand their ability to provide technical assistance to communities in need."

Established in 2006, the 14 centers are funded by renewable three-year grants from the HRSA. The 12 regional centers cover all of the 50 states plus American territories; the two national centers are the Center for Connected Health Policy in California and the Telehealth Technology Assessment Resource Center in Alaska.

Their mission statements consist of:

• Providing technical assistance, training (including travel expenses) and support for healthcare providers and entities planning or providing telehealth services
• Disseminating information or research findings related to telehealth services
• Supporting effective collaboration among telehealth resource centers
• Conducting evaluations to determine the best utilization of telehealth technologies to meet healthcare needs
• Supporting the integration of technologies used in clinical information systems with other telehealth technologies
• Fostering the use of telehealth technologies to provide healthcare information and education for health care providers and consumers in a more effective manner
• Implementing special projects or studies

The consortium has developed a library of resources related to COVID-19, including a telehealth toolkit, online courses, videos and podcasts focusing on telehealth etiquette, and a regularly updated document on telehealth coverage policies. The consortium and individual TRCs also keep track of COVID-19 resources put out by the American Medical Association and other organizations, as well as telemedicine funding opportunities from the Federal Communications Commission and others.