About NRTRC

About Us

About Us

National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers:

• 2 National Resource Centers
• The Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP)
• The Telehealth Technology Assessment Center (TTAC)
• 12 Regional Resource Centers
• Nation-wide consortium of TRCs

The NRTRC serves a seven-state region (AK, WA, OR, MT, ID, WY, UT) to advance the development, implementation and integration of telehealth through sharing information, leveraging resources, and creating a synergistic telehealth community. The NRTRC draws on the experience of UETN, NRTRC Board Members, and that of our regional partners to assist healthcare providers and organizations throughout the region through technical assistance, tools and training. Representatives to the NRTRC board are located in seven northwestern states. Our 14 board members are pioneers in the world of telehealth and several have influenced Telehealth policy and evolution on the national level.

Mission

The NRTRC has a mission to advance the development, integration and equity of telehealth programs in rural and medically underserved communities. The purpose of the program is to assist health care providers, organizations, and networks in implementing cost-effective digital health programs to serve rural and medically underserved areas and populations.

NRTRC Services:

• Provide technical assistance, training, and support
• Communicate and disseminate information and research findings related to telehealth
• Foster regional and national collaborations to share knowledge and best practices

History

The Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center (NRTRC) was created in 2005 by a group of Telehealth leaders in the Region who came together to develop the network. They shared a vision and goal of advancing Telehealth in the Northwest. Representatives from 33 health care organizations in 8 states and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands worked to develop a collective mission and vision, create a Board of Directors, by-laws, and a consortium to advance the concept of a multi-state Center.

Two Board Members were elected from each of the states, two of which were past presidents of The American Telemedicine Association. They met regularly to identify common areas of interest and need, and to identify areas for collaboration.

The NRTRC received funding from the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) in 2006. This grant allowed NRTRC to employ a small staff that could focus on expanding NRTRC’s collaborative activities throughout the region.

In 2010, the NRTRC underwent a few changes and a slight size reduction when Hawaii and the US – Affiliated Pacific Islands formed a new Telehealth Resource Center, the Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center (PBTRC). This separation was logical because of the growing need for the islands to address their unique challenges and to expand their reach internationally. It also made calling a meeting a bit easier, as the original NRTRC spanned eight time zones, now we only need to worry about three.

In 2017, the Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN) was selected to host the NRTRC for the next four years; UETN was re-awarded as the host of NRTRC in 2021 for an additional four years. NRTRC offices are now located within the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

We specialize in:

• Technical Assistance
• Digital Health Educational and Training opportunities
• Telehealth Toolkits & Factsheets
• Telehealth Conferences
• Networking and Building Coalitions to Create Partnerships
• Statewide Community Outreach
• Creating Resources around Digital Health Equity, Inclusion and Literacy
• Links to a wide variety of Telehealth/Telemedicine Organizations and Resources
• Collaboration with Regional and National TRCs

Goals

• Provide quality, unbiased technical assistance for the development and expansion of effective and efficient telehealth services in underserved communities.
• Expand the availability of telehealth services to rural and underserved communities,
• Improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of telehealth services,
• Promote knowledge exchange and dissemination about efficient and effective digital health practices