FROM THE FOUNDATION

The Social Life of Health Information

A new Pew Internet/CHCF national survey finds the Internet has joined doctors and family members as one of the top three ways people search for answer to their health care questions.

Evaluating One-e-App

CHCF and The California Endowment funded the development of One-e-App, a Web-based program that enables users to apply for multiple public insurance programs at once. Read a business case assessment by The Lewin Group.

Privacy, Security, and the Stimulus Bill

The recently enacted economic stimulus legislation includes a number of improvements to federal health privacy law. This brief looks at issues of privacy and security in the wake of ARRA.

Telehealth

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Colorado To Create Largest Telehealth Network Nationwide

The Colorado Hospital Association will use a Federal Communications Commission grant worth up to $4.6 million over three years to develop a telehealth network throughout Colorado, Healthcare IT News reports.

The Colorado telehealth network, which is set to be the largest health care information network in the U.S., aims to curb health care costs, increase consumers' convenience and reduce potential medical errors.

So far, 72 hospitals, 118 health clinics and 184 mental health centers in Colorado have agreed to participate in the telehealth network.

Other Funding

The initiative will receive an additional $9.8 million from a similar FCC grant to the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, a not-for-profit membership group that represents the state's community behavior health care providers. Also, participating health care providers will provide 15% in matching funds for the effort.

The Colorado Health Foundation is backing the telehealth effort, partly by funding administrative support not covered by FCC (Merrill, Healthcare IT News, 8/20).



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