What to Expect
Conference Information
The NRTRC is pleased to announce that registration for the 2021 Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center is now open. Presented virtually again this year, the theme is "Telehealth's Big Bang: From Challenge to Opportunity”. Join us as we discuss, reflect, and respond with subject matter experts on the impact the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency has had on Telehealth.
Keynote Speakers
Day One
Adimika Arthur
Executive Director, Healthtech for Medicaid
Adimika will offer her insights on improving health equity and access to care for vulnerable populations especially those who are part of the Medicaid program. She will discuss the critical need for telehealth technology and innovation to reach Medicaid enrollees and other disadvantaged populations.
Day Two
Stuart Ferguson
Chief Technology Officer and Director of Telehealth,
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Stewart, a long-time international leader in telehealth and digital technology will offer his unique insights on changing telehealth challenges to opportunities in a post-pandemic world.
Panel Descriptions
Engaging patients with their health care is challenging, but it became even more so when the pandemic moved many health care providers to limit in-person visits and engage patients using telehealth. The panelists will discuss strategies used to encourage patients to utilize telehealth including preparing the patient for a telehealth visit; offering technical support; engaging the patient during the visit. What strategies have been most successful?
Burnout among healthcare workers has been an issue. With the onset of the pandemic, the physical and mental toll of working on the front lines has grown dramatically and could have lasting implications for many years to come. Panelists will describe how they have used telehealth tools to assist providers with their self-care and to keep them safe and moving forward. What does their data show us about the success of these programs in the short term? What more will providers need to manage their recovery in the future?
Inequities
Telehealth has been heralded as a solution to health care disparities and access issues, but as the utilization of telehealth has skyrocketed during the Public Health Emergency, issues have emerged regarding inequities in telehealth care related to culture and language, social determinants of health, and various digital divides. The panel will discuss some of these inequities and access issues, and possible ways to overcome them.
The declaration of a Public Health Emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed the federal government and states to relax many of the restrictive rules surrounding the used of telehealth. Many would like to see some of the relaxations in the rules made permanent. The panel will describe strategies that are being developed to assure that these rules are made permanent, and the components needed for a successful strategy.
Other Highlights
Network
Ray Timothy, PhD, Executive Director and CEO at Utah Education & Telehealth Network (UETN) Ray Timothy, Executive Director and CEO of Utah Education & Telehealth Network (UETN), will discuss how Utah has built a statewide fiber network that allows healthcare organizations, schools, technical colleges, universities and public libraries to connect and utilize resources. UETN has collaborated with stakeholders to create a 100 Gig backbone along with strategic access points that allow for Gig or 10Gig connections to the network. The robust infrastructure provides for access to a suite of applications and services for both healthcare and educational stakeholders.
The National Telehealth Technology Assessment Center (TTAC) provides a Telehealth Technology Showcase that gives conference attendees an opportunity to review and assess similar medical peripherals side by side in a vendor neutral environment. Over the past year, TTAC adapted the Technology Showcase to a virtual format using a combination of pre-recorded video device demonstrations, and live virtual demonstrations of the technology. During the virtual Showcase, TTAC staff discuss and demonstrate a range of current and up and coming telehealth technologies. This demonstration includes a range of medical peripheral devices, including innovative watch equipment that is new to the market, or soon to be released.
Opportunity
Meet with telehealth stakeholders from your state for an interactive discussion on the on aspects of telehealth at the local level. Breakout rooms will be available for with Utah, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Alaska and Tribal communities.
- Alaska
- Idaho
- Montana
- Oregon
- Utah
- Washington
- Wyoming
- Northwest Regional Tribal Members
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of Comagine Health and Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center. The Comagine Health is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Comagine Health designates the 2024 NRTRC Conference for a maximum of 20.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
NRTRC is proud to be part of the 