News

Source: CareSouth Carolina

Each year CareSouth Carolina presents an award to an organization or individual in our community with whom it partners in various capacities. This year’s recipient was Palmetto Care Connections (PCC), a non-profit telehealth network that assists healthcare providers in connecting rural and underserved South Carolinians to quality services through broadband, technology and telehealth programs.

According to CareSouth Carolina CEO Ann Lewis, the fact that Palmetto Care Connections “has worked and will continue to work diligently to ensure our patients and healthcare facilities have broadband access for telehealth and other healthcare needs,” made them the clear choice for this year’s award.

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NEWS RELEASE

Written by: Nicole Gard, Director of Communications, PCC

LAKE VIEW, SC – Residents of Dillon County recently completed a one-day digital literacy learning program conducted by Palmetto Care Connections (PCC), a statewide non-profit organization providing technology, broadband, and telehealth solutions to South Carolinians in rural and underserved communities.

The program was part of a $35,000 Digital Education grant awarded from Spectrum to increase digital inclusion and expand telehealth in rural areas of South Carolina. With this grant, seniors in four rural counties will receive digital inclusion training, digital devices, and assistance with affordable internet service.

“I loved going back home and teaching some of our seniors how to safely use technology and the internet. This training provides them skills and a level of confidence that they did not have. Don’t be mistaken though, as we learned as much from them as they learned from us, and we loved every minute of it! Now, they are connected to a whole new world of opportunities!” said Lake View native and PCC Chief Executive Office Kathy Schwarting.

“We applaud Palmetto Care Connections for their broadband educations initiatives and for helping us support efforts that promote digital literacy in rural South Carolina counties,” said Rahman Khan, Vice President of Community Impact for Charter Communications, Inc. “Through this partnership with PCC, the Spectrum Digital Education program is able to bring essential resources to those in need, and we look forward to working with them on this transformative project.”

All participants in PCC’s Digital Literacy Training program learn the basic skills needed to use a computer and internet in daily life, health, and education.

“There are so many people in our community that don’t have access to internet, and don’t have devices to use for telehealth,” said Pat Laird of Lake View. “This is just a great opportunity for them, and they’ve learned a lot of information about how to get other services, like reduced price internet and Wi-Fi. I think it’s just a wonderful opportunity for any community to have this class.”

At the end of the Lake View program, 24 participants learned how to use their Chromebooks for safe internet use; including sending and receiving photos and emails, using the virtual face-to-face app ‘Zoom’ to connect with friends and family, as well as connecting with their doctors for virtual telehealth appointments.

“I feel great, and I really enjoyed this class! I wanted to take this class to learn, and I learned a lot that I didn’t know before I came in,” said Lake View resident Gerlene Brigman. “Everyone was very nice and helpful; I would absolutely recommend this class.”

“I have no technology at my house, and this could be a huge help,” said Dillon County Lakeview Branch Librarian Mertis Barnett. “I’d like to be able to Zoom my kids more. If they don’t come for holidays, I only see them about once or twice a month. I think they’ll be surprised when they find out I took this class and now have my own Chromebook.”

Josephine Gilchrist took to her Facebook, saying “Thanks to the awesome team on showing us seniors how to surf the web in a safe manner…that was very interesting. Yes, I learned something new, plus we all received a brand-new Chromebook laptop computer too!”

About Palmetto Care Connections
Established in 2010, PCC is a non-profit organization that provides technology, broadband, and telehealth solutions to health care providers in rural and underserved areas in South Carolina. PCC hosts the Annual Telehealth Summit of South Carolina presenting state and national best practices and trends, as well as providing networking connections for health care, technology, and broadband

Source: ATA

Urban and Hispanic Medicaid Beneficiaries More Likely to Use Telehealth During First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic

WASHINGTON, DC, SEPTEMBER 7, 2022 – The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) and ATA Action issued the following statement in response to two new reports issued this week by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General, as part of a series that examines the use of telehealth in Medicare, including telehealth program integrity and the characteristics of beneficiaries who used telehealth during the pandemic.

“The Office of the Inspector General made yet another clear statement outlining the resounding success of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their report found that only a ‘very small proportion of providers’ billed Medicare inappropriately, indicating that the measures put in place to safeguard against fraud, waste, and abuse related to telehealth worked well to maintain program integrity,” said Kyle Zebley, senior vice president, public policy, the ATA, and executive director, ATA Action. “We are incredibly proud of how telehealth was able to respond during the pandemic and extremely pleased at another very positive report from OIG.”

A companion report from the OIG examined the characteristics of beneficiaries who used telehealth during the first year of the pandemic.

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FILE – Paul “Rip” Connell, CEO of Private Clinic North, a methadone clinic, shows a 35 mg liquid dose of methadone at the clinic in Rossville, Ga., on March 7, 2017. A deepening opioid epidemic is prompting the U.S. Department of Justice to warn about discrimination against those who are taking medication to wean themselves off their addiction. In guidelines published Tuesday, April 5, 2022, the DOJ said employers, health care providers, jails and others cannot discriminate against people because they are taking prescribed drugs to treat opioid use disorder. (AP Photo/Kevin D. Liles, File)

Source:  The Hill

BY JOSEPH CHOI

A new study published on Wednesday found that the expanded use of telehealth services during the coronavirus pandemic was associated with a reduced risk of opioid overdoses.

Researchers from multiple federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) looked at data from more than 170,000 Medicare beneficiaries.

They analyzed receipts for telehealth services and medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) as well as medically treated overdoses.

The study split the observed beneficiaries into two groups — one that initiated OUD care before the pandemic and another that initiated care after the outbreak began.

When the pandemic began, concerns were raised among the medical community that stressors such as the outbreak and the related stay-at-home orders would raise the risk of overdoses individuals with OUD.

The researchers found that beneficiaries in the COVID-19 pandemic group were likely to receive OUD-related telehealth care and were also more likely to receive corresponding medications.

Those who received OUD-related telehealth care were more likely to retain medical treatments for their conditions and had a lower risk of experiencing a medically treated overdose.

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Source: mHealth Intelligence

Prisma Health patients will gain virtual care options following the addition of a remote medical examination kit across its 18 hospitals.

August 29, 2022 – To improve patient outcomes while maintaining diagnostic accuracy, South Carolina-based Prisma Health implemented the Tytocare Medical Exam Kit, which uses various technology components to virtually detect, diagnose, and care for multiple conditions.

As healthcare providers capitalize on the advancement of technology, various innovations have emerged that can lead to more convenient processes for those providing and receiving care. Prisma Health, an 18-hospital system with 300 outpatient sites and more than 5,100 clinicians across its clinically integrated network, aims to participate in the digital transformation of healthcare by adding virtual care options.

The health system has deployed a new exam kit that allows patients to engage in virtual visits with their providers. The kit includes tools that capture videos and sounds of various organ functions, including the heart and lungs, which are then sent to providers through the Tytocare app for further analysis.

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Source: FCCNews

Media Contact:
Anne Veigle
[email protected]

FCC CREATES ‘YOUR HOME, YOUR INTERNET’ PILOT TO RAISE
AWARENESS OF AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM FOR
HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVING FEDERAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE
Outreach to Include Helping Households with Application Process
—
WASHINGTON, August 5, 2022—The Federal Communications Commission today adopted
an Order creating the “Your Home, Your Internet” pilot program designed to raise awareness
of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) among households receiving federal housing
assistance. The one-year pilot program will test the best methods for helping consumers
receiving federal housing assistance through the Department of Housing and Urban
Development learn about the Affordable Connectivity Program and enroll in the program.

“Broadband is a necessity for American households, yet many HUD-assisted families lack
access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge.
“HUD is committed to ensuring that the people we serve have sufficient internet access for
work, school, health care, and other needs. FCC’s new pilot program will make it easier for
HUD-assisted families to access reliable and affordable high-speed internet, and I look forward
to working with Chairwoman Rosenworcel and the Commission to get more families online.”

The “Your Home, Your Internet” pilot program features enhancements that are designed to
help ease the application and enrollment process for federal housing assistance recipients.
State and local housing authorities, Tribal Designated Housing Entities, and other state,
regional, or local government entities, as well as community partners are eligible to apply for
the pilot. Pilot program applicants will be able to submit proposals for specialized ACP
outreach efforts, including promotional materials that are directed to federal housing assistance
recipients and organizations. Pilot participants also are encouraged to propose application
assistance tools which the Commission will evaluate. In addition, the Commission has set aside
up to $10 million to support pilot-related activities. The Wireline Competition Bureau will
provide more guidance on how to participate in the pilot program.

The Affordable Connectivity Program provides a monthly discount of up to $30 per month
(and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands) as well as a one-time $100
discount toward a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. Under the Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act, a household may qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program if at least one
member of the household meets the qualifications for participation in the Lifeline program.
Households that receive federal housing assistance are eligible for Lifeline and the Affordable
Connectivity Program.

Action by the Commission August 5, 2022 by Third Report and Order (FCC 22-65).
Chairwoman Rosenworcel, Commissioners Carr, Starks, and Simington approving.
Chairwoman Rosenworcel and Commissioner Starks issuing separate statements.
WC Docket No. 21-450

###
Media Relations: (202) 418-0500 / ASL: (844) 432-2275 / Twitter: @FCC / www.fcc.gov
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official
action. See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974

Source:  ATA

WASHINGTON, DC, AUGUST 4, 2022 – The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) today announced that it will convene hospital systems and medical practices, telehealth solution providers, patient advocacy leaders, policymakers, and other groups to commemorate the second-annual Telehealth Awareness Week™ taking place September 18-24, 2022. During the week, the ATA and a diverse coalition of stakeholders will host a series of events, publish educational resources, and highlight the value of telehealth in a hybrid care model that includes in-person and virtual care.

“Building on the important progress we have achieved to expand access to urgently-needed telehealth and virtual care services over the past two-plus years, Telehealth Awareness Week 2022 presents a critical opportunity to provide all communities with the resources they need to better understand the many ways that telehealth improves access to safe, quality care,” said Ann Mond Johnson, CEO of the ATA. “We have great momentum and support for telehealth – from the halls of government and the halls of clinical practice to board rooms and living rooms – and now we must leverage the right resources and create the right frameworks to support a successful hybrid model that offers both in-person and virtual care. One thing is now perfectly clear: Telehealth. Is. Health.”

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Source: AMA

By:  Kevin B. O’Reilly

What’s the news: The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly for a bipartisan bill that extends Medicare telehealth payment and regulatory flexibilities through the end of 2024. The House’s 416–12 vote last week is a manifestation of the massive support among lawmakers, patients and physicians to build on the gains of telehealth seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure it continues to be an accessible mode of care for the long haul.

Supporting telehealth is an essential component of the AMA Recovery Plan for America’s Physicians. You took care of the nation. It’s time for the nation to take care of you. It’s time to rebuild. And the AMA is ready.

Telehealth is critical to the future of health care, which is why the AMA continues to lead the charge to aggressively expand telehealth policy, research and resources to ensure physician practice sustainability and fair payment.

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Source: Live5 WCSC

By Michal Higdon

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – The state’s Broadband Office is using some new technology to try and get more South Carolinians access to internet – namely households with school-aged children.

It’s something that became pretty popular after the war in Ukraine – Starlink devices from Elon Musk’s Space X company.

“When SpaceX launches the Falcon 9 rocket, and a lot of us have seen that happen, they actually deploy about 40 satellites every launch,” Jim Stritzinger, the Director for South Carolina’s Broadband Office, says.

Those satellites form what SpaceX calls a constellation which creates internet service down on the ground.

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Source: Healthcare Finance

By: Susan Morse, Executive Editor

From broadened access to care to removing geographic and originating-site restrictions, the AMA wants flexibilities to be made permanent.

The House passed a bill Wednesday that extends telehealth flexibilities under Medicare that were initially authorized during the public health emergency of COVID-19.

The House of Representatives passed H.R. 4040, Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act of 2022. It now moves to the Senate for approval.

The American Medical Association applauded the House’s passage of the bill, which keeps telehealth flexibilities through 2024.

The bill would allow federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics to serve as the distant site, that is, the location of the healthcare practitioner; it would allow beneficiaries to receive telehealth services at any site, regardless of type or location; it would allow any type of practitioner to furnish telehealth services, subject to approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and it would continue coverage for audio-only evaluation and management and behavioral health services.

WHY THIS MATTERS

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services allowed these flexibilities during the public health emergency to allow patients to receive care virtually when they were unable to get care in-person.

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