News

NRTRC Advisory Board Welcomes New Rural Medicine Provider From Anchorage, Alaska

The Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center (NRTRC) is excited to welcome our newest member to the advisory board! Hailing from Alaska, Danny Griffis, M.D., is the Medical Director for the Valley and Villages Group at Southcentral Foundation in Anchorage Alaska. Danny has been in rural medicine since finishing his family medicine residency in 2006. He worked providing inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department care in critical access hospitals in rural west Texas and north central Idaho before moving to Alaska with his wife and seven children. In 2021, he joined the primary care department with Southcentral Foundation in Anchorage and has recently moved into the position of medical director in their rural services department where he helps support care in nearly seventy rural villages, mostly off the road system, throughout Southcentral Alaska. Danny brings a passion for supporting rural healthcare and a desire to continuously improve access to high-quality care in rural and remote communities. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience in telehealth that will be invaluable as we continue to expand and innovate our services across the region.

We have three NRTRC board member positions available, one each from Oregon, Wyoming, and Utah. Please click here if you would like to be considered for the position.

Telehealth Poses Challenges for Adults with Developmental Disabilities

Telehealth has become a vital part of mainstream healthcare since the COVID-19 pandemic, with widespread adoption across all types of healthcare specialties and providers. However, adults with developmental disabilities and their support teams have reported mixed experiences with telehealth, affecting the quality of care and health outcomes. Read the full article here.

New Report Quantifies Benefits of Telehealth to Rural Residents

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) has released their report, Increased Wellness and Economic Return of Universal Broadband Infrastructure: A Telehealth Case Study of Ten Southern Rural Counties by Ry Marcattilio and Christopher Mitchell. The report identifies the most common health issues affecting residents of those counties; it also identifies the cost savings that both the patient and the healthcare facilities can gain by utilizing telehealth services.

CCHP Updates the 2024 Telehealth Billing Guide

The Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) has released the Medicare Fee-for-Service 2024 Billing Guide! CCHP has noted the release is late in 2024, and that the updates cover until the end of 2024, noting that there have been several updates during the year.

Regional News

Montana Organizations: Host an American Indian

AHEC Program Office

Proposals are open to be a host organization for the American Indian Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program Office. The Montana Office of Rural Health and the AHEC Program Office are pursuing the development of a Montana American Indian AHEC Center to coordinate, create, and strengthen health professional opportunities to American Indian People. Learn more about who can be a host organization here.

A Call Out to Bingham Healthcare for Bringing Telepharmacy to Their Community

Thanks to a $111,000 grant from The Hospital Cooperative, Bingham Healthcare is expanding its services with the launch of a telepharmacy in Pocatello, Idaho. It will also begin offering behavioral health and neurology telemedicine services in its emergency department thanks to the grant. These initiatives aim to improve healthcare access and delivery in the region, offering residents timely and convenient care through virtual consultations and advanced telecommunication systems.

Events to Bookmark in 2024

October

AnchorNETS

Oct 2–Oct 4

Crystal City, VA

Organizer: School Health and Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition

The Annual SHLB Conference is the best place to expand your networks and knowledge of all things related to anchor institution broadband. Schools, libraries, telehealth networks, companies, and consultants attend from around the country to learn about their connectivity options. This year's conference will have a special focus on the wide variety of federal broadband funding opportunities, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) programs, Emergency Connectivity Fund, the Treasury Department Capital Projects Fund, as well as E-Rate, rural healthcare, and digital equity programs.

Digital Inclusion Week

Oct 7–Oct 11

Organizer: National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA)

Digital Inclusion Week (DIW) is an annual week of awareness, recognition, and celebration. With support from NDIA, organizations and individuals across the country host special events, run social media campaigns, and share their digital inclusion actions and progress with media, among other actions.

TeleBehavioral Health 501: Principles and Guidelines for Delivering TeleBehavioral Health to Older Adults and Clients with Cognitive Disorders in Home-Based Primary Care

Oct 18, 2024 @ 12 p.m.–1 p.m.

Organizer: University of Washington Behavioral Health Institute

TeleBehavioral Health 501 is a free 12-part webinar series open to anyone providing services to individuals who live with mental health and substance use issues. This Zoom-based series takes place the third Friday of each month, January through December 2024, from 11 a.m.–12 p.m. (PT). You are invited to attend all webinars, but you will need to register for each webinar separately.

November

2024 Rural Health Association of Utah Annual Conference

Nov 13–Nov 14

St. George, UT

Organizer: Rural Health Association of Utah

The Rural Health Association of Utah Conference is an annual event dedicated to promoting and improving rural healthcare in Utah. Join us for two days of insightful discussions, networking opportunities, and knowledge sharing. The 2024 Annual Rural Health Association of Utah Conference is on November 13 and 14 in beautiful St. George, Utah. The theme of this year's conference is Cultivating Healthier Lives in Rural Utah.

TeleBehavioral Health 501: Working with Interpreters via Telehealth

Nov 15, 2024 @ 12 p.m.–1 p.m.

Organizer: University of Washington Behavioral Health Institute

TeleBehavioral Health 501 is a free 12-part webinar series open to anyone providing services to individuals who live with mental health and substance use issues. This Zoom-based series takes place the third Friday of each month, January through December 2024, from 11 a.m.–12 p.m. (PT). You are invited to attend all webinars, but you will need to register for each webinar separately.

December

TeleBehavioral Health 501: Diving Deeper into Facilitating Virtual Groups

December 13, 2024 @ 12 p.m.–1 p.m.

Organizer: University of Washington Behavioral Health Institute

TeleBehavioral Health 501 is a free 12-part webinar series open to anyone providing services to individuals who live with mental health and substance use issues. This Zoom-based series takes place the third Friday of each month, January through December 2024, from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. (PT). You are invited to attend all webinars, but you will need to register for each webinar separately.

Do You Provide Healthcare or Services via Telehealth? 

Northwest Regional State Telehealth Website Links

• Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
• Montana Telehealth Alliance
• Utah Telehealth Network
• Washington State Telehealth Collaborative
• Washington State Department of Health
• Wyoming Telehealth Network