Health Resources & Services Administration Office of Rural Health Policy Office for the Advancement of Telehealth Presented by Lawrence Bryant [email protected].

Health Resources & Services Administration

Office of Rural Health Policy

Office for the Advancement of Telehealth

Presented by Lawrence [email protected]

HRSA - ORHPHRSA - ORHP

Office for the Advancement of Telehealth

Administrative

Policy Research

Team

Hospital State

Division

Border Health

Division

Community Based

Division

ORHP

Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT)

MissionTo advance the use of telehealth

technologies for improving access and quality of health care services

for the underserved

Serves as the operational focal point for coordinating and advancing the

use of telehealth technologies.

OATLinking with the Rural Initiative

Helping link Telehealth Grantees with other ORHP Grantees Promoting the Telehealth Resource Centers to Rural Communities Linking with USDA Distance Learning and Telehealth Programs

Telehealth vs. Telemedicine

Telemedicine

Telehealth

HealthProfessionsEducation

Administration

EvaluationResearch

Homeland Security

PublicHealth

ConsumerEducation

RegionalHealth Inform.Sharing

OAT Grant Program Objectives

• Improve Access• Improve Quality of Services Reduce Medical Errors Work Force Development• Foster Integrated Systems of Care

• Document Value Added of Telehealth Technologies

OAT Activities

• Telehealth Network Grants

• Licensure and Portability• Telehealth Resource Centers• Contracts• Partnerships

OAT Grant Awards

• Awarded over $260 million in grants

since 1989• Competitive and Congressionally-

mandated projects

Telehealth Network GrantsTo demonstrate how telehealth

technologies can be used through telehealth networks to:

(1) expand access to, coordinate, and improve quality of health services;

(2) improve and expand the training of health care providers; and

(3) expand and improve the quality of health information available to health care providers,

and to patients and their families

Eligibility: TNGP--Open to urban and rural networks, but at least 50% of funding for rural areas.

Telehealth Grants Allow Grantees to. . .

• Purchase/lease equipment (up to 40% of grant)

• Pay for organizational development and operations• Conduct internal evaluations on cost-effectiveness of services• Provide clinical services, develop distance

education programs, mentor/precept at a distance

• Promote collaboration in the region to improve the quality of and access to health

services

Telehomecare Networks

• Evaluate the cost and effectiveness of remote vital sign monitoring of individual patients and the delivery of healthcare services to individuals in their place of residence by a healthcare provider using telecommunications technologies to exchange healthcare information over a distance.

Licensure Portability Grant Program

• Provides support for State professional licensing boards to carry out programs under which licensing boards of various States cooperate to develop and implement State policies that will reduce statutory and regulatory barriers to telemedicine.

Telehealth Resource CentersRegional Resource Centers• California Telemedicine & eHealth Center (CTEC)• Great Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center (GPTRAC)• Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center (NWRTC)• Southwest Telehealth Resource Center

National Resource Center• Center for Telehealth and eHealth Law

Websites

CTeL www.telehealthlawcenter.org

CTECwww.cteconline.org

GPTRAC www.gptrac.org

Southwest www.southwesttrc.org

NRTRC www.nrtrc.org

FY 10 Grant Competitions

• Telehealth Network Grant Program

• Licensure Portability Grant Program

• Telehealth Resource Center Grant Program

OAT’s Partners in Telehealth•HRSA Bureaus and Offices

•Office of the National Coordinator (ONC)•Indian Health Service•CMS•USDA•FCC•American Telemedicine Association•National Rural Health Association

• American Telemedicine Association http://www.atmeda.org

• Telemedicine Information Exchangehttp://tie.telemed.org/funding/

• Rural Assistance Center http://raconline.org

• AFHCAN Telehealth Solutions http://www.afhcan.org/

Other Resources

DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL TELEHEALTH PROGRAM

• Needs/Demand/Market Assessment• What are the health care needs? • Who else is providing the service? How do people in the area

currently receive the service? Does specific and current data support the need/demand assessment?

• Does the project specifically address the needs in the area?• Has the local community provided input into the market

assessment, and if so, are these users, decision-makers, etc?• How will the proposed technologogy meet the need?• Are the telehealth technologies the only alternative?• What health care resources/expertise/telehealth resources are

available? Does the proposal build on those resources or duplicate them?

• Do the local citizens support the project (financially) and will they utilize it? How do you know they will utilize it?

DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL TELEHEALTH PROGRAM - Continued

• Goals and Objectives• Project goals must specifically address the identified

needs/demand• Objectives must relate to project goals, be measurable, outcome

oriented, time limited and achievable• Process (i.e., setting up a telehealth network) IS NOT A GOAL• Does the project provide quantifiable benefits such that the

capital investment and operating expenses can be justified? • Does the project incorporate an ongoing process for evaluation

such that progress to achieving goals and objectives can be measured? Does the evaluation model clearly define:– Inputs– Process– Outputs– Outcomes– Costs

DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL TELEHEALTH PROGRAM - Continued

• Physician/Clinician Acceptance/Support

• Is the technology designed to integrate/work seamlessly with existing healthcare practice?

• Does the project have clinical champions and incorporate sufficient technical support?

• Have the clinicians “bought-in” to the technology? Do you have a number of clinical champions?

• Is there adequate technical support to clinicians?• Are the network sites on board?

DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL TELEHEALTH PROGRAM - Continued

• Strategic Planning

• Do network partners understand roles and responsibilities? (MOAs)

• Is there a formal governing body?• Are the project developers familiar with other

telehealth systems? • Do local citizens have an active role in ongoing

management?• Is there a marketing plan for the community?• Have sufficient resources been allocated to

management and operation of the project? Training? Technical Support?

DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL TELEHEALTH PROGRAM - Continued

• Strategic Planning (continued)

• Has a specific implementation work plan with timelines been developed? Have specific individuals been designated and their roles defined?

• Have operating procedures and clinical protocols been established? Are all network partners aware of their respective roles and responsibilities?

• Where possible, does the project incorporate multiple uses (including clinical care, distance learning, clinical information systems, and patient records)?

DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL TELEHEALTH PROGRAM - Continued

• Purchasing Equipment/Software/Telecom Services– A Thorough Assessment:

• Does the equipment/software meet all current and emerging standards for interoperability/data exchange

• Does the equipment/network design optimize the available telecommunications infrastructure

• System appropriateness - Have all technological options been considered? Is the option chosen to meet project goals and objectives the most cost-effective means of deployment? (e.g. costs versus benefits)

• Does the system allow for upgrades and can it communicate with other networks? (Stay away from proprietary hardware and software, use “open systems”)

DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL TELEHEALTH PROGRAM - Continued

• Purchasing Equipment/Software/Telecom Services – A Thorough Assessment (Continued):

• Can the system be operated and maintained with available resources? (In house versus outside technical support)

• Can the system be easily used by clinicians and patients?• Can the network generate sufficient revenue or achieve sufficient

cost savings to cover telecommunications charges, equipment depreciation, maintenance and other system-related costs?

• Is the proposed equipment proven to work in the project setting? (i.e., space, lighting, acoustics, ease of use)

• Consider vendor and telecommunications service contracts, extended warranties, where appropriate. What is the maximum “down-time” when a system malfunctions?

DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL TELEHEALTH PROGRAM - Continued

Sustainability• \Will the project generate sufficient revenue or cost

savings to be sustained financially?• Is there a long-term strategic plan for the program?

Does that plan consider the telehealth program as revenue or a cost center?

• Where possible, does the project serve various venues or provide for multiple uses? (hospitals, schools, community facilities) Can the project sell its services for ancillary uses?

• Is there a means to monitor and evaluate program performance and provide any “mid-course corrections” or changes as conditions warrant?

DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL TELEHEALTH PROGRAM - Continued

• Sustainability (continued)

• Is there a plan for loss of key employees? • Is there a plan for sustaining and increasing clinical

champions? • Does project leadership keep abreast of all

reimbursement and funding opportunities?• Is there an ongoing plan for ongoing local

community support and collaboration with other entities? (community advisory groups, larger healthcare providers)

• Is there an ongoing public relations and marketing effort?