About NRTRC

About Us

About Us

• National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Center
• 12 Regional Resource Centers
• 2 National Resource Centers
• The Center for Connected Health Policy
• The Telehealth Technology Assessment Center

Mission

The NRTRC mission is to advance the development, integration, and sustainability of telehealth across rural and medically under-resourced communities.

We provide healthcare providers, organizations, and networks with tools to build cost-effective, patient-centered digital health programs that expand access and improve health outcomes.

What We Do

• Technical Assistance & Training
  • We provide hands-on support, tools, and resources to help organizations effectively plan, launch, and grow telehealth programs.
• Knowledge and Research Sharing
  • We connect partners with the latest digital health research, data, and best practices to ensure high-quality, sustainable telehealth delivery.
• Collaboration & Community Building
  • We foster regional and national partnerships to share expertise, strengthen networks, and advance innovation in digital health.

History of NRTRC

NRTRC was founded in 2005 by a group of telehealth leaders who shared a vision of advancing virtual care across the Northwest. Representatives from 33 healthcare organizations across eight states and the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands came together to establish a mission, governance structure, and consortium dedicated to building a regional telehealth network.

Early leadership included two representatives from each state, including former presidents of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA). Through collaboration, the group identified shared challenges, opportunities, and priorities to strengthen telehealth capacity across rural and frontier communities.

In 2006, the NRTRC received its first grant from the OAT, enabling the creation of a dedicated staff and expanded regional programming. By 2010, the network evolved as Hawaii and the U.S. affiliated Pacific Islands established the Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center (PBTRC)—a natural transition reflecting the islands’ distinct needs and international reach.

Since 2017, the NRTRC has been proudly hosted by the UETN at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. UETN was re-awarded hosting in 2021 and 2025, continuing to strengthen NRTRC’s mission and regional partnerships.

The NRTRC continues to provide expertise, resources, and collaboration opportunities to strengthen telehealth programs across the Northwest.

• Technical Assistance — Expert guidance to design, launch, and sustain telehealth programs.
• Education & Training — Webinars, courses, workshops, and conferences focused on emerging trends and best practices.
• Telehealth Toolkits & Fact Sheets — Practical resources to support implementation and compliance.
• Networking & Coalition Building — Connecting organizations to share knowledge and foster collaboration.
• Community Outreach — Advancing digital health literacy and telehealth access across urban, rural, and frontier areas.
• Regional & National Partnerships — Working alongside other Telehealth Resource Centers to share information and promote innovation.

Our Goals

The NRTRC works to strengthen telehealth across the Northwest by focusing on four core goals:

• Deliver High-Quality Support — Provide unbiased technical assistance to help organizations develop and expand effective, efficient telehealth services in underserved communities.
• Increase Access to Care — Expand the availability of telehealth across rural and frontier regions to ensure equitable access for all populations.
• Enhance Quality and Engagement — Improve the effectiveness of telehealth programs by supporting provider collaboration and patient engagement.
• Advance Knowledge and Innovation — Promote the exchange of ideas, best practices, and research that drive impactful, evidence-based digital health solutions.