About one-fifth of all people in the United States live in rural areas, which have higher mortality rates, a higher prevalence of diseases, and lower life expectancy than urban areas. Telehealth-guided collaboration between health care providers has the potential to increase access to services and improve health outcomes in underserved rural populations. However, more research is needed to better understand how provider-to-provider telehealth affects rural patients, populations, health care providers, and payers. Workshop speakers will identify those research gaps, as well as explore barriers to and facilitators of successful, sustainable implementation of provider-to-provider telehealth in rural settings.
Attendees will have opportunities to submit questions and comments during discussion periods. After weighing the evidence, an independent panel will prepare a report that summarizes the workshop and identifies future research priorities.