Module 3: Program Clearinghouse

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) has funded several telehealth programs. The Community-Based Division (CBD) offers grant programs in rural communities, as part of the 330A Outreach Authority program, with the goal of identifying and implementing programs for rural community health. The 330A Outreach Authority program focuses on expanding access to healthcare services in rural areas, and several programs include telehealth. HRSA's Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) also provides funds to rural communities for improving telehealth services.

Examples of current and former CBD grantees from the 330A Outreach Authority program and OAT grantees that have developed promising telehealth programs in a rural community are provided below. Evidence-based and promising models for community telehealth programs are available in Module 2.

• Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health
  Project Title: The Alaska Veterans Telehealth and Biofeedback Services
  Synopsis: This program helped veterans in rural Alaska connect to trauma-informed behavioral and mental healthcare via telehealth.
• Community Health Center, Inc. (CHCI)/Weitzman Institute
  Project Title: School-based Consultations for Rural Pediatric Telehealth (SCRiPT) Network
  Synopsis: This program uses telehealth to offer virtual consultations and professional development sessions to staff at rural school-based health centers across six states.
• Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
  Project Title: TeleEmergency Program and Center for Rural Emergency Services and Trauma (CREST)
  Synopsis: These programs use telehealth to connect emergency care providers to rural Critical Access Hospitals and community hospitals and to train rural providers on trauma and emergency care.
• Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc.
  Project Title: Direct to Patient Tele-Behavioral Health Services
  Synopsis: This program uses a telehealth platform that allows patients to connect to behavioral health services from their personal smartphones, tablets, or computers.
• North Dakota State University
  Project Title: The North Dakota Telepharmacy Project
  Synopsis: This program uses telehealth to connect licensed pharmacists with pharmacy technicians in rural sites across the state.
• Sanford Vermillion Medical Center
  Project Title: Virtual Infusion Project
  Synopsis: This program increased access to infusion and oncology care in South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska. Nurses at rural infusion centers connected to advanced practice oncology nurses via telehealth to ensure that patients can receive quality care close to home.
• Summit Healthcare Association
  Project Title: Summit Healthcare Telemedicine Program
  Synopsis: This program involves a broad range of telehealth approaches to improve access to specialty care for local residents.
• University of Kansas Medical Center
  Project Title: Telehealth Rural Outreach to Children in Kansas City Schools (ROCKS)
  Synopsis: This program uses telehealth to increase access to behavioral and developmental healthcare services among children.