TWIN FALLS — Family Health Services has just been awarded a grant worth $284,739 from the FCC to go towards its Telehealth Program. The grant came at a very much needed time, since coronavirus has many people staying in their homes. This money will allow the clinic to have access to the proper tools to reach their patients.
“Because of the rules in place prior, we were not eligible or really able to provide telehealth services, that changed almost overnight. So this is in an infrastructure grant that will provide the equipment for moving forward,” stated CEO of Family Health Services, Aaron Houston.
The goal of the grant is to allow clinics to distribute health services through different forms of electronic communication. Family Health Services will provide tablets, telehealth software licenses, and enhanced telehealth procedures to reduce exposure COVID-19.
The tablets will be set up in exam rooms where either a nurse or other medical professional can offer their service and adequately assess their patients.
The grant will also benefit the staff at the clinic in a constructive manner. “When a person is not there, that connection is established and being in the exam room; it’s just like the patient being in the exam room. So it just facilitates making that workflow a lot easier,” said Chris Wingfield, Chief Informations Officer for Family Health Services.
As time progresses, the clinic is hopeful in receiving other grants or donations to go towards their telehealth fund. Chris Wingfield said, “The fact that there are grants and money are coming out towards telehealth, it makes it pretty promising that this is going to continue to be an avenue for us to provide services for patients.”
