FCC ANNOUNCES AN ADDITIONAL $40.46 MILLION AWARDED AS PART OF COVID-19 TELEHEALTH PROGRAM
| October 21, 2021—The Federal Communications Commission today approved an additional 71 applications for funding commitments totaling $40,468,845 for Round 2 of its COVID-19 Telehealth Program. This is the FCC’s third funding announcement of approved Round 2 applications bringing the total to approximately $123.6 million awarded to health care providers in each state, territory, and the District of Columbia. “Advances in telehealth continue to help bridge the gap in health care for our most vulnerable populations and keep Americans connected with their doctors, nurses, and health care providers in the face of the pandemic,” said FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “With today’s announcement, the FCC has approved more than $123 million in applications for Round 2 of its COVID-19 Telehealth Program—nearly half of the amount allotted in the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act. We remain committed to helping facilitate even more innovative health care efforts in every corner of our country.” The FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program supports the efforts of health care providers to continue serving their patients by providing reimbursement for telecommunications services, information services, and connected devices necessary to enable telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Round 2 is a $249.95 million federal initiative that builds on the $200 million program established as part of the CARES Act. As outlined in the Round 2 Report and Order, once $150 million in funding has been committed, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau will announce an opportunity for all remaining applicants to supplement their applications, as required by Congress. After all remaining applicants have the opportunity to supplement, the remaining program funding will be committed. Below is a list of health care providers that were approved for funding (listed alphabetically): Adelante Healthcare in Phoenix, Arizona was awarded $868,857 to purchase telehealth equipment, including virtual visitation software, that will help providers offer quality remote care to 80,000 low-income, underinsured, and uninsured patients in Maricopa County. Alleghany Memorial Hospital in Sparta, North Carolina was awarded $92,041 to purchase telehealth devices, including tablets and laptops, to allow for increased access to specialists at different healthcare sites, as well as faster diagnosis and treatment of patients. Archie Hendricks Sr. Skilled Nursing Facility in Sells, Arizona was awarded $688,084 for continuous monitoring devices for residents with COVID-19, as well as for other telehealth technologies that will allow medical staff to access clinical information, consult with offsite specialists, and decrease strain on personal protective equipment by reducing the number of times that staff must enter a patient’s room. The Asian Human Services Family Health Center in Chicago, Illinois was awarded $400,725 for mobile devices and cellular data service to allow providers to monitor and conduct at-home appointments with high-risk and vulnerable patients. Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock, Arkansas was awarded $999,277 to purchase telehealth carts and video monitoring equipment to safely care for and monitor COVID-19 positive patients remotely, and to easily allow for communications between patients and doctors, specialists, and family members. Berkshire Health Systems in Pittsfield, Massachusetts was awarded $1,000,000 to purchase laptops, tablets, and telehealth software in order to deliver quality remote health care as the only hospital provider in an area with 124,000 people. CareSouth Carolina in Hartsville, South Carolina was awarded $242,334 to purchase laptops and mobile telehealth devices to provide reliable and high-quality remote care to their most vulnerable patients, many of whom come from rural and low-income communities. The Center for Family and Child Enrichment in Miami Gardens, Florida was awarded $78,204 to purchase devices, software and equipment to enable health care providers to offer telehealth services to patients, including enhanced pediatric and behavioral care via remote visitation. CenterPlace Health in Sarasota, Florida was awarded $91,179 for glucometers and other remote monitoring devices that will connect physicians with patients that are living at or below poverty level, and will help physicians improve patient diagnosis and treatment during the pandemic. Chestnut Health Systems in Bloomington, Illinois was awarded $271,866 for telehealth devices, including remote monitoring devices and other connected hardware, which will increase access to health care for their patients during the pandemic. Collier Health Services in Immokalee, Florida was awarded $506,652 for remote-monitoring devices and telehealth software that will help facilitate efficient treatment to high-risk individuals and help patients avoid unnecessary emergency department visits. Community Health Centers of Pinellas in Clearwater, Florida was awarded $962,184 to purchase remote patient monitoring kits, as well as network equipment, to provide safer and better health care access to its patients in low-income communities. Community Health Center of Richmond in Staten Island, New York was awarded $335,995 for telehealth carts, software and video equipment to offer high quality, synchronous video treatment to patients, as well as mobile devices and services to allow providers to serve patients from any location. The C.W. Williams Community Health Center, in Charlotte, North Carolina was awarded $312,399 for cellular devices and remote patient monitoring devices, including glucometers, blood pressure monitors, and wireless home exam kits with thermometers, otoscopes, and stethoscopes, to facilitate the delivery of health care services for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of chronic disease management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Denver Health in Denver, Colorado was awarded $529,250 to purchase tablets and imaging devices to support video visits and consultations with high-risk patients that will decrease the amount of travel required by patients, and to implement remote patient care services, including monitoring of fetal heart tones, post-operative patient care, dental education, mental and behavioral health, and physical therapy. DuBois Regional Medical Center in DuBois, Pennsylvania was awarded $530,800 to purchase a telemedicine platform and equipment that will improve remote in-home monitoring, increase access to physicians without requiring patients to travel, and encourage better compliance with medications and care recommendations. El Paso County Hospital District in El Paso, Texas was awarded $763,050 to expand telehealth delivery by purchasing telehealth carts and virtual triage devices, which will conduct remote assessments of patients and determine whether they need to visit the emergency room. Empower U Community Health Center in Miami, Florida was awarded $301,554 to purchase connected devices, including otoscopes and stethoscopes, that support comprehensive remote patient visits through a new telehealth system. Erie Family Health Center, Inc. in Chicago, Illinois was awarded $409,678 to purchase laptops and wireless headsets to facilitate direct telehealth care to patients by allowing providers to quickly and efficiently communicate with their patients. Evergreen Health in Buffalo, New York was awarded $160,806 to purchase connected devices, including scales and blood pressure monitors, to increase access to telehealth for low-income patients, thereby reducing the risk of COVID-19 exposure for the populations it serves. Family Christian Health Center in Harvey, Illinois was awarded $124,667 for VoIP video phones and cloud technology to support telehealth delivery by enabling remote consultation and medical care, especially for seniors and other vulnerable populations that struggle to use more conventional smartphones. Family First Health Corporation in York, Pennsylvania was awarded $620,510 for telehealth devices and software, including laptops, cameras, headsets, and video platform licenses, to support the delivery of telehealth to their patients during the COVID-19 pandemic by enabling remote communication between patients and medical providers. Family Health Centers in Okanogan, Washington was awarded $212,164 to purchase laptops, phones, headsets, and take-home monitoring devices to help patients in a community with a large population of Hispanic migrants that experienced high rates of COVID-19 avoid unnecessary in-person clinic visits. First Nations Community HealthSource in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a Federally Qualified Health Center that serves Tribal and Hispanic communities, was awarded $655,395 for laptops and connected devices that support remote patient monitoring, which will help ensure proper treatment of patients in their homes without requiring in-person visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Forsyth Memorial Hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina was awarded $1,000,000 to purchase telemedicine carts, tablets, and other specialized equipment, which will allow providers to remotely assess the severity of patients’ illnesses, and thereby reduce hospital admissions and reduce the spread of COVID-19. FoundCare, Inc. in West Palm Beach, Florida was awarded $942,083 to purchase telehealth devices, including laptops, tablets, speakers, cameras, and data plans, to support the telehealth needs of two new community health centers that provide health care to underserved communities in Palm Beach that are currently without access to health services. Golden Valley Health Centers in Merced, California was awarded $509,048 for connected blood pressure cuffs, tablets, video software licenses, and other equipment that enables patients to receive telemedicine services at home in a rural and low income service population area and also supports residents that do not speak English as a first language. Great Lakes Bay Health Centers in Saginaw, Michigan, was awarded $963,947 for laptops and other connected equipment to expand telehealth services and provide critical care during the COVID-19 pandemic to patients throughout the Great Lakes Bay region. Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, Wisconsin, with locations providing service throughout the Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin area, was awarded $999,909 for laptops, telehealth carts, and other telemedicine monitoring devices, which will help the health system more effectively allocate staff and care resources across its network of rural clinics and hospitals. Hampton Roads Community Health Center in Portsmouth, Virginia was awarded $195,666 for devices, including webcams and smart boards, that will facilitate telehealth service delivery to patients for primary care, prenatal care, mental health, and urgent dental visits. HealthPoint in Renton, Washington was awarded $839,091 for telehealth devices, including laptops and webcams, that support healthcare providers in conducting video consultations, provide remote treatment for patients unable to attend in-person visits due to COVID-19, and allow patients to make a HIPAA-compliant telehealth appointments via a secure network. The Holyoke Medical Center in Holyoke, Massachusetts was awarded $795,090 for internet services, laptops and tablets, and teleconferencing software to offer continued support and treatment for patients to reduce the risk of COVID-19 community spread by maintaining social distancing, facilitating remote monitoring, and conducting remote routine medical interventions and procedures. Holzer Health System in Gallipolis, Ohio was awarded $667,723 to purchase telehealth remote monitoring equipment, which will allow for the constant monitoring of the highest risk and most vulnerable patients, allow for remote consultation with primary care providers and specialists, and will protect providers by decreasing exposure to COVID-19. Indiana University Health in Indianapolis, Indiana was awarded $908,061 to purchase connected monitoring kits, laptops, and tablets to provide remote treatment to patients with chronic conditions. Kaleida Health in Buffalo, New York, was awarded $968,131 to purchase devices, including telemedicine carts, tablets, and laptops, to support specialty, mental health, and primary care provider consultations via video calls, which will enable Kaleida Health to reduce in-person visits, limiting the risk of community spread and freeing up hospital beds for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City, Kansas was awarded $659,146 to purchase telemedicine kiosks and connected devices, such as scales, blood pressure cuffs, glucometers, and pulse oximeters, for remote patient monitoring, as well as augmented virtual reality platforms to enable providers to make timely diagnoses and treatment decisions for patients. Kodiak Island Health Care Foundation in Kodiak, Alaska was awarded $86,033 to purchase upgraded servers and laptops to improve its information technology capabilities to offer secure and effective telehealth services to a patient population that includes homeless individuals, veterans, high risk individuals, military families, and all other patients in the Kodiak community. La Casa de Salud in Bronx, New York was awarded $419,875 for telehealth devices, including telemedicine carts, and software that will promote social distancing, aid in monitoring the progression of home-quarantined COVID-19 patients, enable providers who are quarantined but asymptomatic to provide care remotely from their homes, and help patients with transportation barriers access care. Lawndale Christian Health Center in Chicago, Illinois was awarded $172,354 to purchase connected carts for telehealth services, enabling offsite staff members specializing in behavioral health to provide care to patients, as well as the purchase of laptops to assist staff in providing telehealth follow-up for homeless shelters across Chicago. Loretto Hospital in Chicago, Illinois was awarded $823,600 for new devices and equipment critical to providing effective and efficient health care from a distance, which includes real-time communication with patients through video-conferencing and email, remote monitoring of patients with COVID-19 and chronic conditions using measurements for vital signs and other important metrics, and the utilization of off-site specialists to review imaging and provide diagnoses. Marion County Public Health Department in Indianapolis, Indiana was awarded $299,799 to augment its existing COVID-19 testing stations and vaccination sites with laptops, tablets, monitors, and web cameras, enabling it to maintain required records on testing and vaccinations, provide data for the epidemiology department and to the state’s COVID-19 taskforce, and facilitate record-keeping and patient communications. Marlette Regional Hospital in Gaylord, Michigan was awarded $382,730 for telehealth devices and services, including laptops, phones, and monitors, which will be used to plan, schedule, and execute telehealth visits to reduce patient visits to the emergency room and stop the spread of COVID-19. Mercy Health in St. Louis, Missouri was awarded $793,788 to purchase telehealth devices, including telemedicine carts and monitors, that allow in-room staff to contact offsite caregivers via video conferencing to allow for specialized, remote treatment. Mercy Hospitals, a consortium of hospitals in Oklahoma was awarded $776,620 for telehealth devices, including telehealth carts and custom wall monitors, which will allow for the remote assessment and care of patients. Michigan Primary Care Association, a consortium of community health centers throughout Michigan, was awarded $990,000 to purchase remote monitoring devices for patients with chronic conditions, enabling providers to effectively monitor patients without risking exposure to COVID-19. The Minnie Hamilton Health System, in Grantsville, West Virginia was awarded $457,568 to purchase equipment and software to improve internet access, voice services, network throughput, and the quality of telemedicine communications, which will increase access to care by reducing economic and geographic barriers for patients, many of whom live in rural communities. Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh, New York was awarded $749,385 for smart TVs, tablets, cameras, and other devices that will allow healthcare workers to communicate virtually with patients and co-workers, enabling both direct patient care as well as patient-to-family communications while continuing to isolate COVID-19 patients. Mohawk Valley Health System, which services Oneida, Herkimer, and Madison counties in New York was awarded $697,382 to purchase tablets, video software licenses, and upgrade internet connectivity and telecommunications services to expand telehealth capabilities, to decrease exposure to COVID-19 for both medical and behavioral health patients, to observe and treat COVID-19 positive patients remotely, and to allow face-to-face, at-home visits. Mount Vernon Neighborhood Health Center in Mount Vernon, New York was awarded $761,314 to provide remote patient monitoring services to its patients, including a telehealth first-aid kit with connected blood pressure monitors, connect glucometers, and VoIP devices, to ensure quality care. Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home in Gloversville, New York was awarded $283,254 for network upgrades, which will allow the patients they serve, primarily low-income and elderly populations, to continue medical appointments remotely while reducing potential exposure to COVID-19. The North Miami Center in Miami, Florida was awarded $213,834 for devices, telecommunication services, and teleconferencing services to provide remote health care treatment to low-income and uninsured patients. Novant Health in Fort Mill, South Carolina was awarded $574,413 to purchase telemedicine carts and specialized equipment, including devices to remotely assess lung capacity, which will allow for patients to be monitored and tracked without requiring in-person visits. Okeene Municipal Hospital in Okeene, Oklahoma was awarded $221,821 to purchase connected devices, including telemedicine carts, tablets, phones, laptops, and peripherals, to deliver care to rural populations that have been particularly strained since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Oonalaska Wellness Center in Anchorage, Alaska was awarded $79,892 to purchase wireless devices, upgrade network connectivity, and improve its telemedicine carts to support video consultations with patients, many of whom reside in extremely remote areas that are hundreds of miles from the nearest hospital. Palmetto Care Connection in Bamberg, South Carolina was awarded $782,575 for remote monitoring devices such as connected blood pressure monitors, glucose monitors, and pulse oximeters so high-risk patients can continue receiving quality care remotely with lower risk of COVID-19 transmission. Pillars Community Health in La Grange, Illinois was awarded $598,504 to purchase laptops, software, and remote monitoring devices to increase access to health care services for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured individuals and families, as well as those experiencing homelessness. Prairie Ridge Health, Inc. in Columbus, Wisconsin was awarded $50,470 to purchase phones and video software that will allow providers to meet with patients in remote settings, reduce the risk of exposure by supporting physical distancing, better allocate resources by reducing demand for additional personal protective equipment, and maintain a high quality level of care during the pandemic. Regions Hospital in Saint Paul, Minnesota, including Critical Access Hospitals in Wisconsin, was awarded $1,000,000 to purchase a remote patient care telehealth platform that will allow physicians to remotely examine, diagnose and monitor patients with chronic conditions to preserve access to care and reduce economic healthcare disparities. Robeson Health Care Corporation, with locations throughout North Carolina, was awarded $495,633 to purchase connected equipment, including routers, phone systems, and software in support of expanded telehealth services to a patient population that faces a lack of access to transportation and high vulnerability to COVID-19. Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Yonkers, New York was awarded $927,213 to implement an integrated web-based telehealth platform in the Emergency Department, Primary Care, Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse and School-Based Health Centers to provide remote patient medical and behavioral health services and to expand the hospital’s geographic reach. Skagit Regional Health in northwest Washington was awarded $38,515 for videoconferencing software that will facilitate secure provider visits with patients. St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, New York was awarded $998,624 to enhance internet connectivity and purchase devices and software , including computers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and telehealth platforms, that will support remote patient care for those who tested positive for COVID-19 and patients with high risk health conditions. St. Bernard’s Healthcare in Jonesboro, Arkansas was awarded $547,270 for remote patient monitoring platforms and devices that allow patients to connect to physicians, both in-person and at home, and allow providers to better monitor patient outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway, New York was awarded $372,744 to establish a telehealth program by purchasing a telehealth platform and associated devices and equipment, which will allow medical and behavioral health providers to serve low-income and underserved patients. Swope Health Services in Kansas City, Missouri was awarded $843,387 for connected devices, including tablets and laptops, that enable healthcare and dental providers to conduct COVID-19 patient testing and treatment, and to purchase remote monitoring devices and software for providers to monitor at-risk patients with chronic illnesses from home. Union Community Health Center in the Bronx, New York was awarded $999,075 for remote patient monitoring platforms, software, and devices that relay patient clinical data to providers in real time, enabling clinicians to troubleshoot, adjust medications, and closely monitor chronic health conditions in their most vulnerable and underserved populations. UnityPoint Health, a consortium of 19 hospitals located in Iowa, northern Illinois and south-central Wisconsin, was awarded $1,000,000 for connected telehealth devices, including telemedicine carts and digital stethoscopes, which will allow providers to increase the use of virtual evaluation, monitoring, and management of patients, which will help keep providers and patients safe, reduce urban-rural health disparities and barriers for low income patients, improve access to specialty care, and stretch limited provider resources. University Hospital of Brooklyn in Brooklyn, New York was awarded $945,421 to acquire and implement a virtual health platform to allow for tele-triaging of patients, virtual rounding by clinicians, and rapid discharge, thereby enabling better patient flow, improved use of resources, reduced length of stay, and improved patient safety. The University of Virginia Health System, in Charlottesville, Virginia, was awarded $388,574 to expand its telehealth network to serve patients across Virginia, including those in rural and impoverished areas, by purchasing telemedicine carts, remote patient monitoring devices, and integrated video platforms for provider use. Wellstar Health System in Atlanta, Georgia was awarded $1,000,000 to purchase telehealth platforms, software, internet services, and devices to expand its telehealth and general health care services, which will enable it to safely treat and monitor patients, as well as expand services in low-income rural communities and health care provider shortage areas. Wheeler Clinic, a Federally Qualified Health Center with sites throughout Connecticut was awarded $91,612 to purchase laptops and upgrade internet service for locations serving low-income and vulnerable communities to support Wheeler’s telehealth care and enable providers to connect with patients for video telehealth sessions during the pandemic. For additional information on the FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth program, visit: https://www.usac.org/about/covid-19-telehealth-program/. ### 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). |