On September 4th, 2024, we held an event at the Salem Family Health Center announcing some exciting news for our telehealth program. Specifically, we were granted $224,892 to enhance our telehealth services by The Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Massachusetts Broadband Institute. This is a major benefit to our program and will aid patients who rely on telehealth services to access their doctors and other medical services.
What is Telehealth?
Telehealth is a form of healthcare that allows medical providers to attend to patients remotely. At North Shore Community Health Center, we offer telehealth visits by video, allowing patients to be seen by their healthcare provider from the comfort of their homes. This is a great option for patients with accessibility and transportation issues, as they can reach their doctors for annual wellness visits, urgent and non-urgent issues, and counseling without needing to come into the office.
Advancing Health Equity Through State Grants
Massachusetts has been making great strides in advancing health equity and closing the digital divide for patients. The latest was The Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Massachusetts Broadband Institute providing the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers with $3.75 million to expand affordable internet access and enhance digital health tools to underserved communities. North Shore Community Health Center was among the organizations awarded a cut of the grant so we can provide our patients with better telehealth services.
This funding is part of a broader $20 million in grant awards from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Digital Equity Partnerships Program. It’s expected to enable thousands of underserved individuals to access affordable internet services and participate in digital health programs. By granting these funds to programs such as telehealth services, remote patient monitoring, and patient portal enrollments, there will be healthier outcomes for patients across the Commonwealth.