The South Central Telehealth Resource Center, housed at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), has received a $1.3 million, four-year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to implement and expand digital health services.
The grant, part of the HRSA Telehealth Resource Center Program that supports regional and national telehealth resource centers, will award $325,000 in funding each year through 2029.
It will support the center’s ongoing efforts to develop, maintain and expand digital health services and training for health care providers across Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.
“This continued support from HRSA affirms the value of our mission and the real-world impact of digital health when providers are equipped with the right tools and knowledge,” said Melony Stokes, DNP, RN, the center’s director. “We’re honored to continue serving our region and look forward to the innovation and collaboration this next phase will bring.”
The South Central Telehealth Resource Center provides technical assistance, workforce training and evidence-based resources to equip health care organizations, providers and stakeholders with the knowledge and tools they need to implement and expand digital health services.
Support is primarily offered on-demand through the center’s website, LearnTelehealth.org, and through individualized assistance. The center also creates patient-focused materials to facilitate digital health consults, remote patient monitoring and in-home device use to ensure accessibility and engagement in virtual care.
The center, a program of the UAMS Institute for Digital Health & Innovation, has been continuously funded by the HRSA Office for Advancement of Telehealth since 2010 and is one of 12 centers in the HRSA-backed National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers.
One critical aspect of the center’s work is serving rural and medically underserved communities, which often face limited transportation, inconsistent access to specialty care and high rates of chronic illness. By increasing adoption of digital health services, and improving training and digital literacy, the center works to ensure equal access to health care regardless of geography.
Last year, the center co-hosted the inaugural Telehealth Implementation Bootcamp, a nine-month program designed to help health care organizations nationwide expand their digital health services.
Following a two-day training kickoff event, the center hosted monthly webinars on reimbursement, sustainability and other topics and concluded with a wrap-up showcase in June. Planning for the next Bootcamp cohort is expected to begin this fall.