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April was a busy month for the NRTRC! We participated in and supported a host of events—view our summaries and content links below.
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RHAU Tech Summit a Huge Success!
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NRTRC and the Utah Telehealth Network (UTN) joined healthcare and IT leaders from across Utah and the NW Region at the inaugural Rural Health Association of Utah (RHAU) Tech Summit in St. George, Utah, in April. This first-ever summit contributed to important conversations around cybersecurity, AI in healthcare, and expanding access to telehealth. The turnout was incredible, with over 130 participants, and the discussions sparked new ideas and connections that will drive rural Utah’s tech progress. The event highlighted the importance of connecting rural communities through reliable, high-speed infrastructure and innovative technology partnerships.
As a reminder, RHAU’s Annual Conference is coming later this year, November 4–5, in St. George. Don’t miss out—book your spot today!
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The 2026 AI in Behavioral Health Summit Was a Success
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The TeleBehavioral Health Summit was a free, two-day, accredited virtual conference focused on the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation in behavioral healthcare. The summit brought together national experts, clinicians, policymakers, and innovators to explore how AI is reshaping behavioral healthcare delivery, workforce support, ethics, access, and patient engagement. Across two days of conversations and presentations, attendees examined both the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into behavioral health systems and practice.
If you missed the event, you can access the recordings and session materials from the full two-day summit here.
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“Data Interoperability: What's Changing, What It Means, and How to Prepare,” Watch the Recording
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This NRTRC webinar from April showcased Dr. Warren Pettine, Assistant Professor at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the University of Utah, and a member of the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program. He discussed new federal rules that are encouraging health data to flow between different health care organizations and electronic health records. View the recording, slides, and references list today.
If you want to explore what's ahead for rural data infrastructure, we invite you to read the white paper, “Rural Data Infrastructure in Weeks, Not Quarters,” authored by Dr. Pettine in collaboration with the M2Int Lab partners.
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TRCs from across the Nation Held their Annual Spring Meeting in Los Angeles
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Representatives from all 14 Telehealth Resource Centers (TRCs) gathered in Los Angeles this April for the annual Spring TRC Business Meeting to collaborate on the future of telehealth across the country. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss national telehealth initiatives, policy updates, emerging challenges, and innovative strategies to improve access to care, while strengthening partnerships across the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers (NCTRC). Special thanks to the California Telehealth Resource Center (CTRC) for hosting a productive and inspiring meeting.
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The white paper explores the role of patient–provider communication (PPC) in healthcare quality, examines how communication dynamics are influenced in telehealth settings, reviews physical environment factors affecting virtual interactions, and identifies research gaps to guide future improvements in telehealth services.
See more in this CCHP newsletter
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Federal activity around artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare continues to accelerate, highlighted by a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report examining both the promise and risks of AI. The GAO report provides a comprehensive overview of how AI is currently used across the healthcare sector, including applications in diagnostics, clinical decision support, administrative efficiency, and public health surveillance. It highlights the potential for AI to improve outcomes, expand access, and reduce costs, but also underscores significant risks related to data quality, bias, transparency, and oversight.
See more in this CCHP Newsletter
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“Ronald Miller lives more than 30 miles away from his nearest VA medical center, so it’s not surprising that telehealth has given him easier access to care and new opportunities to improve his health. But telehealth has also given the 82-year-old Air Force Veteran something he hadn’t expected: camaraderie and rapport that have extended beyond his video visits.” (Source: VA News)
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“The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services picked 150 digital health companies and healthcare providers to participate in the launch of its tech-enabled chronic care model. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) announced in December the Advancing Chronic Care with Effective Scalable Solutions (ACCESS) Model as a 10-year payment program to encourage the use of technology to treat chronic diseases. CMS aims for the ACCESS Model to provide stable, recurring payments for technology used to treat diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, obesity, depression, and anxiety.”(Source: Fierce Healthcare)
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“The country’s agriculture department is requesting $230 million in fiscal year 2027 to support rural broadband and telecommunication programs, according to its budget proposal.” (Source: Broadband Breakfast)
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Upcoming Funding Opportunities from HRSA
Telehealth Nutrition Services Network Grant Program
The Telehealth Nutrition Services Network Grant Program will support telehealth networks that improve access to quality healthcare services through telehealth technology. This program will use telehealth nutrition services to help prevent and manage chronic diseases.
Technology-enabled Collaborative Learning Program
The Technology-enabled Collaborative Learning Program will support the use of technology-enabled collaborative learning to improve retention of healthcare providers and increase access to health care services in rural and underserved areas and populations.
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May
Annual NRHA Conference
May 19 - 22
Organizer: The National Rural Health Association
Join NRHA and hundreds of rural health leaders from across the country in Southern California to help raise the standard for rural health with over 80 innovative, practical, and cost-saving sessions and much more.
NRHA's 49th Annual Rural Health Conference, 11th Rural Hospital Innovation Summit, and associated events constitute the largest gathering of rural health professionals in the country, May 19-22 in San Diego.
Center of Excellence Webinar Series: State Telehealth Policies/ TeleStroke
May 28 @ 10 a.m.–11 a.m.
Organizer: University of Mississippi Medical Center
UMMC is thrilled to share the lineup of webinars coming your way this grant year! Both COEs will be hosting a variety of sessions that highlight the incredible work and dedication of our teams.
June
SEARCH 2026
June 2 - 3
Organizer: SEARCH Society
SEARCH 2026 – The National Telehealth Research Symposium will showcase connected health efforts, strategies, and partnerships, specifically those that focus on the research of telemedicine, telehealth, eHealth, mHealth, and other healthcare technologies.
TeleBehavioral Health 2026: Firearms, Culture & Suicide Care over Telehealth
June 12 @ 12 p.m.–1 p.m.
Organizer: University of Washington Behavioral Health Institute
The TeleBehavioral Health 2026 Training Series is a free, twelve-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 on the third Friday of each month, January through December 2026, 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.
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Do You Provide Healthcare or Services via Telehealth?
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Northwest State Telehealth Networks
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