With the addition of five project awards, the FCC Wireline Competition Bureau almost doubled the projects funded under the COVID-19 Telehealth program.
The projects collectively received $3.71 million in funding, which brought the total for the 11 telehealth projects awarded to date to $6.94 million in eight states. There still is a lot of funding to be given out: The FCC received $200 million to promote telehealth during the CARES Act, which is designed to confront the pandemic.
“Telehealth is proving to be an invaluable resource to treat patients during the coronavirus pandemic,” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a press release about the FCC COVID-19 telehealth awards. “From implementing remote patient monitoring to helping low-income patients receive care in their communities, I am confident that the funding we approved today will help health care providers expand their telehealth efforts in New York, Michigan, and elsewhere.”
FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Awards
The newly announced projects:
- The Banyan Communication Health Center of Coral Gables, Florida, was awarded $958,270 to serve 24 medically underserved areas in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Approximately 2,000 low-income and high-risk patients will be served.
- Health Partners of Western Ohio, which is based in Lima, was awarded $373,098 to serve low income patients. The organization has sixteen locations in the state. The project will enable low income patents to receive medical care at 71 locations.
- NYU Langone Health in New York City was awarded $983,772 for deployment of telehealth in operating and conference rooms to enable monitoring of ICU patients from different floors. This better utilizes space, reduces staff exposure and maximizes personal protective equipment.
- St. John’s Well Child and Family Center in Los Angeles was awarded $382,331 to treat 21,000 patients in South Los Angeles and Compton via remote patient monitoring and video and voice consultations.
- The University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor was awarded $649,000 for remote patient monitoring for high risk COVID-19 patients. The goals are to reduce hospital admissions and to expand video visiting capabilities.
The FCC began accepting applications for the program on April 13 and will continue to evaluate applications and distribute funding on a rolling basis. The CARES Act also includes $100 million for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect program, which has complementary goals.
