2025 Telehealth Survey Is Now Open!
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The NRTRC is pleased to announce that our sixth annual NRTRC Telehealth Survey is now open! This important survey helps us track the evolving landscape of telehealth across the Northwest region and tailor support for those implementing and sustaining virtual care services. The survey should take no more than 5 minutes and is intended for individuals and organizations that currently deliver or plan to implement telehealth services. Click here to take the survey now!
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Join Us for an Important Conversation on Increasing Access to Diabetes Management
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NRTRC presents "Living Well with Diabetes," a webinar on diabetes education and empowerment. Discover innovative strategies and tools to support patients living with diabetes through education and technology.
Date: Thursday, July 31, 2025
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. MDT
Where: Zoom webinar
This webinar introduces a flexible diabetes education program designed for delivery in-person or via telehealth by trained, supervised staff with input from providers. We will review the educational content (PowerPoint and guidance documents), which are customizable for organizations to adapt and brand for their use.
While diabetes self-management and education support (DSMES) programs are typically led by certified diabetes care and education specialists (CDCES) such as nurses, registered dietitians, and pharmacists, many rural or under-resourced settings lack access to people with this specialized training. These training materials help fill that gap by equipping trained staff or lay educators to empower adults with type 2 diabetes by strengthening their knowledge base and self-managing their diabetes effectively.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about this unique option to overcome the common barriers for patients to participate in diabetes education.
In this session, we will:
- Rethink how we can deliver diabetes education
- Showcase the structure and customizable slide content used to support diabetes education sessions
- Highlight the opportunities, best practices, and considerations for diabetes education delivered by trained staff
Register now!
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CMS Releases CY 2026 Proposed PFS
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) just released the CY 2026 Proposed Rule of the Physician Fee Schedule.
CMS CY 2026 Proposed Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) reflects forward movement for virtual care in several key areas.
Submit your comments. The comment period is open through September 12, 2025.
Highlights related to telehealth and digital health:
- Adds new remote monitoring codes, scaling 2–15 days of data and clinician time in 30 days for RPM and RTM.
- Removes telehealth frequency limits for inpatient, nursing facility, and critical care visits.
- Expands G-code coverage for digital therapeutics (DMHT) to treat ADHD.
- Seeks comment on even broader digital health reimbursement, including tools for chronic disease management and mental health support.
Per the American Telehealth Association (ATA), the proposed rule does not address a requirement that raises serious concerns around provider safety, administrative burden, and operational costs. CMS must act to permanently allow providers to bill Medicare using their practice address instead of home address, a simple step to protect privacy and security, especially for mental health professionals. You can express concerns by submitting a comment to CMS.
See the complete list of highlights from ATA Actions Summary.
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Save the Date for NRTRC's August Webinar
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Join us for our August webinar, "The Power of Wearables: Bridging Data and Disease Management." Presenters Jordan Berg, Stasi Kasianchuk, and Pattie Carr will highlight the latest wearable technology and health management tools reshaping chronic disease prevention. Learn how clinicians and patients use real-time data to drive meaningful outcomes in nutrition, fitness, and long-term health.
Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Time: 12–1:30 p.m. MDT
Where: Zoom webinar
Learning objectives:
- Identify the latest wearable technologies and digital health peripherals (e.g., smartwatches, rings, biosensors) used to collect patient-generated health data (PGHD) relevant to chronic disease prevention and management.
- Explain how real-time biometric data, combined with AI-powered tools, can support personalized care strategies for preventing, managing, and in some cases reversing chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and certain cancers.
- Evaluate evidence-based applications of wearable data across nutrition, physical activity, and clinical interventions to improve patient engagement and long-term health outcomes across diverse populations.
Register Here!
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In a recent op-ed in the Salt Lake Tribune, UTN CEO Spencer Jenkins, alongside other Utah connectivity leaders, highlighted the urgent need to close Utah’s digital divide.
The piece emphasizes that access to broadband and digital tools is fundamental to healthcare, education, and economic opportunity, especially in underserved communities.
As the parent organization of the NRTRC, UTN continues to champion digital access and infrastructure that supports all Utahns.
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TeleBehavioral Health 101 Is updated!
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We’re excited to announce the re-launch of the newly revised TeleBehavioral Health 101 Series—a practical, free, self-paced online training designed to help behavioral health professionals deliver effective, equitable, and person-centered care through telehealth.
This seven-part series covers essential topics, including clinical engagement, technology, ethics, risk management, billing, and digital equity. Whether you are new to telebehavioral health or want to strengthen your foundation, this series provides practical tools and insights to support high-quality virtual care.
- Now live on our learning management system
- Module 1, Introduction to TeleBehavioral Health and Policy Overview, meets Washington State’s telehealth training requirement (SSB 6061)
- Engage in sessions at your own pace and in any order that suits you.
- Complete a session evaluation for a personalized Certificate of Completion.
- Each session offers one credit of Continuing Medical Education (CME) for a nominal fee. For more information, please visit the Continuing Education & Accreditation page.
Start learning today and empower your virtual practice. Access the training here.
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Leveraging Telehealth in Pediatric Obesity Care: A Multidisciplinary Model with Big Impact
Jul 23 @ 12 p.m.–1 p.m.
Organizer: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
Dr. Valerie O’Hara will share insights from the TeleWOW program—a cutting-edge telehealth model transforming access to pediatric obesity care in rural and underserved areas. She’ll highlight how integrating medical, nutrition, and behavioral health professionals can significantly improve outcomes for young patients managing chronic disease.
2025 Healthcare AI Bootcamp Session 3: AI Applications in Healthcare 2.0
Jul 23, 2025 @ 1 p.m.–2 p.m.
Organizer: Healthcare AI Bootcamp
Attendees will learn how AI applications are already improving diagnostics, enhancing patient care, and streamlining operational efficiencies while addressing critical considerations such as ethics, regulations, liability, payment, and patient safety.
Living Well with Diabetes—Diabetes Education & Empowerment Training by Trained Staff
Jul 31, 2025 @ 12 p.m.–1 p.m.
Organizer: Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center
This webinar introduces a flexible diabetes education program designed for delivery by trained staff with provider input and supervision. It can be used in group settings, one-on-one, or virtually. We will review the content—aligned with the eight core Diabetes Self-Management and Education Support (DSMES) components—and explore implementation strategies.
Read more about this event in our story, "Join Us for an Important Conversation on Diabetes Management."
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TeleNutrition: Expanding Access to Care—A Telehealth Roundup Webinar
Aug 7, 2025 @ 12 p.m.–1 p.m.
Organizer: South Central Telehealth Resource Center
The next edition of the Telehealth Roundup webinar series will be "TeleNutrition: Expanding Access to Care," presented by Linda Pennington, MS, RDN, LDN, President and Owner of Dietitian Associates, Inc. In this discussion, we will define telenutrition and the basic components needed to get started, identify relevant state and federal regulations (i.e., licensure, consent, HIPAA compliance), describe routes of reimbursement, and illustrate lessons learned using real-life scenarios.
2026 Proposed Updates for MPFS Telehealth Billing and Reimbursement
Aug 12, 2025 @ 1 p.m.–2 p.m.
Organizer: Arizona Telemedicine Program
Join us for an update on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the 2026 proposed updates for the physician fee schedule (with some OPPS tidbits tossed in as well). Learn about changes and potential impact to our medical practices in 2026.
2025 Healthcare AI Bootcamp: Hybrid Virtual and In-Person Sessions 4–7
Aug 12, 2025
Los Angeles, CA (for in-person sessions)
Organizer: Healthcare AI Bootcamp
Session 4—Leveling Up: AI Awareness and Anticipation
Consolidate foundational knowledge from previous sessions and gain critical insights into the broader AI environment, uncovering opportunities and risks.
Session 5—Risk and Responsibility in Healthcare AI
Explore the lifecycle of AI systems and the risks that can emerge at every stage, from ideation and design to implementation and long-term use. Through real-world examples, participants will learn how data selection, system validation, and deployment decisions can introduce vulnerabilities.
Session 6—What You Don't Know Can Hurt You: AI and Revolving Regulations
Dive deep into the rapidly evolving regulatory and legal landscape for healthcare AI. Attendees will learn about compliance requirements for tools like chatbots, scheduling systems, and decision support technologies.
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