The Buzz: The monthly newsletter from SETRC
Spring brings not only fresh blooms and longer days but also changes in health care policies. Just as we adjust to seasonal shifts, new legislation bring both opportunities and challenges. Though policy updates may seem uncertain, they are designed to offer clarity and continuity.
This month we share policy updates, fostering workgroup collaborations, and sharing training opportunities related to telehealth and its impact on healthcare communities. We actively promote educational resources and training programs, equipping professionals with the skills needed to navigate telehealth advancements. Our efforts help improve access to care and optimize patient outcomes across today’s healthcare settings.
With evolving policies supporting expanded access and increased funding fueling cutting-edge technologies, telehealth is bridging gaps, improving health outcomes, and empowering patients worldwide. The future of healthcare is more connected, efficient, and patient-centered—ushering in a new standard of care for all.
As we celebrate this festive season, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your trust and partnership in prioritizing health and wellness. Telehealth has brought us closer, offering care and connection no matter the distance. As we look forward to a bright new year filled with possibilities, may your days be filled with joy, good health, and cherished moments. Here’s to new beginnings and continued innovation in 2025!
Join the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) on November 21 at 2 p.m. ET for an inspiring live webinar in celebration of National Rural Health Day! This year, we’ll highlight the impactful work of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), sharing success stories and innovative strategies from grantees and key partners. Learn how these community-led approaches can be adapted to create meaningful change in your own area. Don’t miss this chance to join the conversation and support the Power of Rural!
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, as communities rebuild and recover, hope rises in the resilience of the human spirit. This recovery is not just about restoring homes, roads, or utilities, but also about reconnecting hearts, rebuilding bonds, and restoring health. Even in times of hardship, we find strength in each other, and through the power of technology, we’re more connected than ever.
Hear from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm and HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson on key efforts to expand access to behavioral health services and interstate licensure to increase access to behavioral health care using telehealth.
The American Telemedicine Association held its 28th annual conference last week in Phoenix. The goal was to gather innovators, changemakers and healthcare providers to lead efforts to improve access to quality care with telehealth and remote monitoring
SETRC’s affiliated organization, the National Telehealth Technology Assistance Center, is conducting their annual telehealth technology Survey. Please assist by scanning the bar code or clicking this link and taking the survey. It doesn’t take long, but your input is lasting!
https://mailchi.mp/gpth/february-buzz-6503370Libraries across the United States are beginning to offer their patrons access to telehealth services as a strategy for addressing challenges in digital access to healthcare. This “Pre-Implementation Playbook” will aid libraries in connecting with their communities, determining needs and partnerships. Access webinars on Tele-Concussion and RPM programs.
Get the March 2024 Buzz
Join telehealth professionals, care providers, public health experts, insurance providers, and government agency representatives for the latest digital health updates in your state. Register now for the ATA Nexus 2024 Conference and connect with industry pioneers shaping the future of healthcare.
In 2024, CMS has given the green light to include RPM and RTM in HCPCS G0511. FQHCs and RHCs can now launch monitoring programs for patients with chronic conditions while also generating significant and sustainable revenue. The Puerto Rico Telehealth Workgroup Meeting & Symposium was held on January 17, 2024. Meet the telehealth champions from the public sector, government, public/private hospital systems, clinics, emergency responders, academia, and researchers advancing telehealth and virtual care platforms across the island.
The Physicians Fee Schedule by CMS outlines payment rates for medical services, guiding reimbursement policies and ensuring fair compensation within the U.S. healthcare system. The Southern Regional Disaster Response System (SRDRS) is seeking Health Care Coalitions and health care system partners to augment our telehealth responses to disasters. Via telehealth, we can make significant improvements in health outcomes and resilience.
SETRC’s Fall 2023 Worgroups are coming up, both on-line and in-person! The SETRC telehealth workgroups provide insight and direction regarding the advancement of telehealth as well as encourage collaboration among existing telehealth networks and programs. Our grassroots network is an integral part of what we do. Team up with us and see what a huge difference a little bit of your time can make.
Community Health IT and SETRC welcome leaders from all sectors critical to a thriving and prosperous Florida. These include space, aerospace, transportation, logistics, health, tech, education, manufacturing, construction, and government. Learn how 50% or more of children with autism do not have access to treatment or diagnosis due to provider shortages – take action with Toddler Tracks.
Join telehealth professionals, care providers, public health experts, insurance providers, and government agency representatives for the latest digital health updates in your state. SETRC Director, Lloyd Sirmons leads the interactive discussion and provides updates on clinical practices, reimbursement, compliance, legislative news, and more.
The DEA announced that it will allow telehealth companies to continue prescribing certain controlled substances for six additional months without requiring an in-person appointment.
Tune into SETRC’s recorded webinar to learn more about post-PHE changes to HIPAA, DEA prescribing rules, audio-only telehealth, and much more.
Mercer University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta have announced they will be working together to launch a major initiative focused on improving pediatric healthcare in rural Georgia. The announcement was made by Gov. Brian Kemp at the Georgia State Capitol with legislators and healthcare leaders. It is part of a series of pilot programs focused on improving access to pediatric care close to home.
Network with clinicians, administrators, researchers, technologists, and other digital health enthusiasts at the Alabama Telehealth Forum on May 12th!
We will explore the rapidly emerging future of telehealth and hybrid care. The Forum will be held at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, a comprehensive research university along the Alabama Gulf Coast with a rich history and contemporary culture.
SETRC’s Lloyd Sirmons hosted Mei Kwong from the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) to address new federal telehealth legislation, including waivers that have been extended through 2024, as well as waivers ending with the PHE.
Click here to access the webinar Use passcode: 4AjHQM!S
Telehealth use exploded during the pandemic thanks to flexibility in getting Medicare reimbursement for the services. But those flexibilities were set to expire five months after the PHE ends. The Dec 2022 Omnibus legislation ensures that the flexibilities will stick around for two years. The goal is to give regulators more time to determine which flexibilities should be made permanent. It will also extend the hospital-at-home program for two years.
Check out the 2023 January Buzz!
The Georgia Telehealth Forum at Mercer University was held on Dec. 2nd. Healthcare is at a crossroads, facing unprecedented pressure and disruption — including affordability challenges, shifting patient expectations, and an increasing deluge of health data. Healthcare executives, providers, policymakers, and technologists gathered at the Georgia Telehealth Forum to explore these issues, the future of telehealth, and hybrid care.
Check out the December Buzz!
Health plan executives, providers, investors, technologists, and other digital health enthusiasts gathered on Sept. 23 at the Florida Telehealth Forum at the Astronaut Memorial Center at the Kennedy Space Center complex. They explored the rapidly emerging future of telehealth and hybrid care including digital health access, legal aspects of telehealth, telehealth solutions for pediatrics, and cyber security. Access and download all the presentations and videos.
Get the Fall Buzz Newsletter
SETRC STATE WORKGROUP MEETINGS are coming up in August. Network with telehealth leaders in your state and beyond, get the latest legislative and regulatory updates, tools and tips, team up and connect with potential partners. The Florida Telehealth Summit! Network with telehealth leaders and learn the latest telehealth trends on Friday, Sept. 23rd, 2022. The Florida Telehealth Summit will be held at the Astronaut Memorial Center at the Kennedy Space Center complex. Tickets to the event include one free admission to the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center museum, rides, and attractions.
The annual Florida Telehealth Forum will happen on Friday, September 23, at NASA Kenedy Space Center. Meet the experts on reimbursement, clinical practices, cybersecurity, regulatory, interoperability, and more. Registration includes FREE admission to the NASA KSC visitor complex for you and your guests.
SETRC STATE WORKGROUP MEETINGS are coming up in August. Network with telehealth leaders in your state and beyond, get the latest legislative and regulatory updates, tools and tips, team up and connect with potential partners.
SAVE THE DATE for the The Florida Telehealth Summit! Network with telehealth leaders and learn the latest telehealth trends on Friday, Sept. 23rd, 2022. The Florida Telehealth Summit will be held at the Astronaut Memorial Center at the Kennedy Space Center complex. Tickets to the event include one free admission to the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center museum, rides, and attractions.
April is Autism Awareness month. Early intervention for autism can make a lifetime of difference – but over 50% of children do not have access to treatment. There is hope; the skills demonstrated on Toddler Tracks can help parents and family members take action to help their children and loved ones. Learn about the latest telehealth policy developments centered around mental health.
Get the April BUZZ
The Southeastern Telehealth Resource Center supported the new county-wide school-based telehealth program with students at the recent Glynn County Health and Literacy Fair. SETRC’s mobile Telehealth Learning Center was on location. Learn about the Telehealth Extension and Evaluation Act of 2022.
Hug your valentine and grab SETRC’s February Buzz to learn about the HEALTHY KIDS 2022 Notice of Funding Opportunity for $49.4 million in grant awards, the largest amount of funding that CMS has ever made available for CHIP outreach and enrollment awards. Check out the upcoming webinar with Georgia Department of Health Director of Telehealth, Suleima Salgado, when she discusses how to bridge gaps in rural health access.
Get the February BUZZ
The 2022 Physician’s Fee Schedule is here and the experts from the Center for Connected Health Policy have prepared a fact sheet and webinar looking at the telehealth specific aspects of this critical reimbursement document from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Access the Global Partnership for Telehealth webinar on Cultural Competence and Telehealth. This talk will help clinicians understand the basics of cultural competence and humility, disparities in the use of telehealth, health and digital literacy, and how to use.
Get the January BUZZ
Happy holidays to you and yours from the Southeastern Telehealth Resource Center (SETRC). We thank you for your support and friendship during this memorable year. Check out the December Buzz and meet Rena Brewer, SETRC Principal Investigator and CEO of the non-profit Global Partnership for Telehealth (GPT). Rena is a national telehealth leader and the GPT’s robust telehealth network includes over 650 providers.
Get the December BUZZ
Meet the Director of the Southeastern Telehealth Resource Center (SETRC), Lloyd Sirmons. A telehealth pioneer, Lloyd has led SETRC for over ten years, from a time when telehealth was a visionary concept through to today’s era of explosive growth. Find out how to network with telehealth leaders in the southeast through SETRC’s state workgroups.
Get the October BUZZ
With evolving policies supporting expanded access and increased funding fueling cutting-edge technologies, telehealth is bridging gaps, improving health outcomes, and empowering patients worldwide. The future of healthcare is more connected, efficient, and patient-centered—ushering in a new standard of care for all.
