Office for the Advancement of Telehealth Telehealth Network Grant Programs Monthly e-Blast - February 2022

Program-Specific Updates

Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) 2022 Virtual Partnership Meeting May 16-18, 2022 In May, the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) will host its annual 2022 Virtual Partnership Meeting. As grantees of the Telehealth Network Grant Program (TNGP) and Evidence-Based Telehealth Network Program (EB TNP), this virtual meeting provides an opportunity to: connect with federal partners, resources, and other telehealth stakeholders build capacity to support implementation of your grant-funded initiatives share, learn, and network with peers.    Stay tuned for the official save-the-date announcement and meeting registration. If you have any questions in the meantime, please reach out to your OAT Project Officer.

Telehealth Network Grant Program (TNGP)  Community of Practice Groups  TNGP peer groups will continue through quarter 2 of the grant year.   Open Sharing Forum: Wednesday, February 2, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. ET  Data & Measurement: Wednesday, March 2, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. ET    Webinar – Year 1 Performance Improvement Measurement System Analysis Report: Summary and Findings    Early March - Final Date/Time TBD Please join us for our next TNGP grantee webinar. We will share an overview of the recently completed Performance Improvement Measurement System Analysis Report that provides an aggregate snapshot of the TNGP program using baseline and year 1 data covering the period September 1, 2020 – August 31, 2021. This report will provide a snapshot of the TNGP cohort from Year 1, highlight key measures and findings, and share any recommendations or implications.    Please stay tuned for the announcement of the final date and time for this webinar. More information on the webinar along with registration will be sent out soon.

Evidence-Based Telehealth Network Program (EB TNP)  Community of Practice Groups  The quarter 2 peer groups for EB TNP grantees will take place during February.   Data & Evaluation: Tuesday, February 8, 2:30-3:30 p.m. ET  Direct-to-Consumer: Thursday, February 17, 2:00- 3:00 p.m. ET  Tele-Behavioral Health: Wednesday, February 23, 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET    Webinar - Building a Successful Direct-to-Consumer Telehealth Program: Experiences and Lessons Learned from the Field  Tuesday, March 1, 2022; 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. ET  As you embark on the early stages of developing and implementing your EB TNP initiatives, this webinar will focus on highlighting some organizations’ efforts in the direct-to-consumer (DTC) telehealth space with the goal of sharing insights and perspectives applicable to the implementation of your grant-funded initiatives. Participants will have the opportunity to hear from two organizations who will share their DTC models, challenges as well as factors for success, and lessons learned from implementing these programs.    Be on the lookout for the webinar announcement and registration email this week!

Resources, News, and Other Updates

HRSA Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network Program HRSA anticipates awards for more than 30 community-based organizations that will join an effort to train and place public health professionals in rural and tribal areas. Eligible applicants include minority-serving institutions of higher education, Critical Access Hospitals, community health centers, nursing homes, Rural Health Clinics, substance use providers, and state or local workforce development boards. Each grantee will receive approximately $1.5 million for a three-year project. A webinar was held by HRSA on January 5, 2022 for potential applicants. If you were not able to attend and are interested in the webinar recording or have any questions about the program, please send an email to: RPHWTNP@hrsa.gov. Applications are due March 18, 2022. UPDATE: Final 2022 Physician Fee Schedule   The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services released their Physician Fee Schedule for the 2022 calendar year. The Center for Connected Policy created a factsheet that reflects policy changes around telehealth services, audio-only services, and communication technology-based services. The factsheet also shares important updates regarding the Consolidated Appropriations Act and for Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics.   Limit on Virtual Addiction Treatment May Soon Return Making Care Harder to Access   National Public Radio recently published a podcast on telehealth and addiction treatment. The podcast shares how telehealth and the relaxation of prescribing rules due to the pandemic benefited those in hard to-reach areas. The podcast also highlights the controversy around moving back to pre-pandemic rules, including requirements to see a provider in person to receive a prescription, which may disrupt treatment plans for patients with addiction disorders.   Federally Qualified Health Centers Telehealth Best Practices: Lessons Learned from the Pandemic:  The National Consortium of Telehealth Research Centers hosted four webinars in which various representatives from Federally Qualified Health Centers across the nation shared best practices and lessons they have learned since the inception of the coronavirus pandemic.   Session 1: Successfully Engaging Hard to Reach Populations: Staff from interdisciplinary backgrounds share best practices for effectively streamlining the process of patient engagement. Representatives also share their approaches for achieving telehealth access equity and mastering the process for connecting with patients.   Session 2: Successfully Engaging Staff: Representatives share tips for getting their team onboard for implementing telehealth services and share best practices that enable them to conduct their work in an organization with optimal systems.   Session 3: Making Smart and Effective Telehealth Technology Decisions: Staff describe best practices for incorporating technology into the workflow that enhances effectiveness, efficiency, and minimizes user agitation.   Session 4: Telehealth after the Public Health Emergency: Representatives share their plans to augment their programs for quality improvement, enhanced staff and patient experiences, and financial efficiency.

Upcoming Events

Building Tomorrow’s Virtual Healthcare with Today’s Technology   February 2-3 12:00 –6:00 p.m. ET    Please join the Telehealth Technology Assessment Resource Center, in partnership with the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Center, as they host a two-day event that features presentations of virtual care models including behavioral health, emergency services, school-based care and more. Attendees will also have the opportunity to discuss various telehealth technologies used in the telemedicine scenarios with vendors.  Register

mHealth Intelligence 2022 Telehealth Virtual Summit   March 22-23, 2022  Please join mHealth Intelligence as they host a virtual summit on creating a hybrid healthcare strategy that integrates in-person care delivery with telehealth. The summit will discuss telehealth design, development and implementation and examine policies and reimbursement guidelines. Attendees will also hear from health systems who have already launched hybrid programs.    Register

ATA 2022 Annual Conference & Expo  May 1-3, 2022  Boston, Massachusetts    Please join the American Telemedicine Association for their 2022 annual conference and expo. The conference and expo will explore the telehealth landscape and examine what will be essential to establish telehealth as a permanent modality in care delivery. Additionally, the conference will showcase various practical applications of telehealth and attendees will be able to participate in hands-on workshops.  Register

This digest is brought to you by the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT)  and the Telehealth Network Programs Technical Assistance Team.