December 2017 - In This Issue:
In the News
Barnwell County School District Goes Live with Telemedicine
In September 2016, Palmetto Care Connections was awarded a USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant that included providing telemedicine equipment and training to Barnwell County Schools. Williston School District 29 (Barnwell County) went live with its school-based telehealth program in November 2017. Lowcountry Healthcare System is the primary healthcare provider for this program with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) providing assistance as needed. This project was a collaboration between Lowcountry Healthcare System, Medical University of South Carolina, and Palmetto Care Connections. 

Source: Palmetto Care Connections
CCHP Factsheet:
CMS  FY 2018 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
CMS recently released the FY 2018 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. The Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) created a fact sheet that is specific to telehealth.
FCC's Ajit Pai Says Net Neutrality Reform Will Help Telehealth, but Experts Worry a Tiered System Complicates Connectivity
--FierceHealthcare

" With the Federal Communications Commission poised to roll back Obama-era net neutrality regulation, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has argued that the government's light touch approach to high-speed internet will be a net benefit for telemedicine.
But industry experts worry that the agency's reforms will be problematic for healthcare providers, telemedicine vendors, and patients, all of whom require robust connectivity to meet the demands of video consultations that could come at a higher cost."

 Click here to read more. 
Telehealth Continues Rapid Growth but Regulatory Barriers Persist
--Society for Human Resource Management

"Telehealth is transforming health care, allowing providers to deliver services when and where patients need them, thereby improving outcomes and lowering costs. Legal and regulatory roadblocks, however, still hinder telehealth providers' effectiveness, according to speakers at a Nov. 28 policy forum in Washington, D.C."

Click here to read more.
Palmetto Care Connections
Welcome our New Board Members
Palmetto Care Connections proudly welcomes Rich Rogers at Greenville Health System, and Mark Williams, MD, at Palmetto Health, as PCC Board Members. 



Educational Opportunities
Palmetto Care Connections has partnered with Georgia Partnership for Telehealth to offer online telehealth certifications. Use the code 
PCC17 to receive a discount! 


Available Certifications: 

What is broadband and how can it help me?


Annual Telehealth Summit 
Palmetto Care Connections invites you to attend the 
6th Annual Telehealth Summit of South Carolina on April 10-12, 2018, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. 

We are accepting abstracts for breakout sessions and posters.  Click here to review submission guidelines.
The submission deadline is December 15.

For more information about the 6th Annual Telehealth Summit, visit www.palmettocareconnections.org . 
Upcoming Events



A special thank you to our partners for working with us to improve the health of South Carolina through telemedicine. 


    
 
 

Any new announcements, updates, expansions, or changes? Email Davia Smith at davias@palmettocareconnections.org today.

Thank You!