Three health centers across Alabama will be receiving grant money from the federal government to expand their telehealth offerings.
Telehealth, connecting doctors and patients through online video chat software, has seen an increased focus during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Lack of access to telehealth services has long been an issue for rural areas including my own district, and this problem has only been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic,’ said U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) on Wednesday.
The grants are being administered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and were made possible by money from the CARES Act.
The CARES Act is the $2.2 trillion stimulus bill passed by Congress in an attempt to stabilize the economy during the pandemic.
CARES provided $200 million to expand telehealth accessibility across the United States. To date, the FCC has disbursed $50 million in grants to 132 providers across 33 states plus Washington, D.C.
The three health centers in Alabama that were awarded grants, as follows:
Capstone Rural Health Center, in Parrish, Alabama, was awarded $165,478 for telemedicine carts, computers, and diagnostic equipment to provide personalized care during the coronavirus crisis by integrating cameras, displays, and network access to bring remote physicians to the patient.
Christ Health Center, in Birmingham, Alabama, was awarded $631,612 for laptop computers, a telehealth platform, and other telehealth equipment to expand its capacity for telehealth and move to a full telehealth model while the COVID-19 crisis persists, and to implement telemedicine and teleconferencing solutions for patient care and education.
East Alabama Medical Center, in Opelika, Alabama, was awarded $69,909 for connected devices and telehealth software to care for patients with infectious conditions or significant comorbidities using telehealth.
“This FCC award will go a long way in helping residents of North Alabama who need to stay connected to their healthcare providers to receive the care they need. I am committed to building on this progress to improve telehealth services across Alabama,” Aderholt, who represents Parrish Alabama, concluded.
Health providers looking to apply for a telehealth grant can go here.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
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