ANNA joins The Center for Telemedicine Law and other organizations in supporting additional funding for the advancement of telehealth funding
Center for Telemedicine Law
1301 K Street NW, East Tower, 9th Floor
Washington DC 20005-3317
202.230.5090 Main | 202.230.5303 Fax
July 8, 2005
The Honorable Arlen Specter
Chair, Appropriations Subcommittee
on Labor, Health and Human Services
& Education
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Tom Harkin
Ranking Member, Appropriations Subcommittee
on Labor, Health and Human Services,
& Education
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senators Specter and Harkin:
On behalf of the more than 200 individuals and telemedicine organizations listed below and the health communities that we represent, we are writing to urge you to support a programmatic increase in the funding of an additional $10,000,000 for such programs and activities, including $2,500,000 for a minimum of 10 telehealth resource centers which provide assistance with respect to technical, legal and regulatory, service delivery or other related barriers to the deployment of telehealth technologies, $5,000,000 for network grants and demonstration or pilot projects for telehomecare, and $2,500,000 for grants to carry out programs under which health licensing boards of various States cooperate to develop and implement policies that will reduce statutory and regulatory barriers to telehealth. As you are aware, telemedicine offers both underserved and hard to reach communities much needed expanded access to quality health care services.
Congress has often expressed support for telemedicine services and has passed additional telehealth provisions as part of the Health Safety Net Amendments Act. Unfortunately, Congress financial support for the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) has declined in recent years and the provisions authorized by the Health Safety Net Amendments Act have not yet been funded.
An increase of $10 million would help improve access in underserved areas of the country by restoring funding for OAT and providing support for the Health Safety Net Amendments Act telehealth programs. Specifically, the increase allocates $5 million for grants to fund the telemedicine networks and demonstration projects for telehomecare, $2.5 million for grants to coordinate state licensing programs so that underserved and hard to reach communities have properly trained health care professionals, and $2.5 million for telemedicine resource centers.
This is a small amount of money for a very important purpose. Without this support, the stability of the existing telemedicine services in this country will be severely threatened. OAT provides critical technical assistance to telehealth projects throughout the country.
We thank you for your support of this important issue. Should you have any questions or need more information about the increase in funding for the telehealth services provided in your state, please do not hesitate to contact any of the individuals or organizations listed below.
Sincerely,
Jackie Eder-Van Hook
Executive Director
The undersigned support an increase in programmatic funding for the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth:
Bob Waters
Executive Director
Home Care Technology Association of America
Washington, D.C.
James N. Thompson, M.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Federation of State Medical Boards
Dallas, TX
Jeremy Bonfini
Intel Corporation
Consumer Health Access Through Technology Coalition
Washington, D.C.
Val Halamandaris
President
National Association for Home Care and Hospice
Washington, D.C.
Jonathon Linkous
Executive Director
American Telemedicine Association
Washington, D.C.
Alan Morgan
Interim Executive Director
National Rural Health Association
Washington, D.C.
Laura J. Redoutey
President
Nebraska Hospital Association
Lincoln, NE
Curtis Rooney, J.D.
Senior Associate Director
American Hospital Association
Washington, D.C.
Terry Rabinowitz, M.D., FAPA, FAPM
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and of Family Medicine
Clinical Director of Telemedicine
Director, Psychiatric Consultation Service
University of Vermont College of Medicine and Fletcher Allen Health Care
Burlington, VT
Nancy J. Sharp, MSN, RN, FAAN
Telehealth Issues Consultant
American College of Nurse Practitioners
Bethesda, MD
John Zauher
Director, Telemedicine Serves Partners in Health Telemedicine Network
St. Vincent Healthcare
Billings, MT
Joseph DIorio
Manager TeleHealth Solutions
TANDBERG
Peabody, MA
Nancy Brown, MLS
Project Director
Telemedicine Research Center
Portland, OR
Dr. Denise Henry
Director
Telemedicine & Telehealth Technologies
Southfield, MI
Scott Echerer
Director
Rural Telemedicine Cooperative, Inc.
Lexington, SC
Sally Davis
Program Director/Telehealth
Marquette General Health System
Marquette, MI
Ann Bailey Bynum, Ed.D.
Director, UAMS Rural Hospital Telehealth Program
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, AR
Leo C. Loevner
Chief Operating Officer
T-Med Behavioral
Fairfax, VA
Loretta Schlachta-Fairchild, RN, Ph.D., CHE
President & CEO
iTelehealth Inc.
Frederick, MD
Joseph L. Ternullo, CPA, JD
Associate Director, Telemedicine
Partners Healthcare System
Lynnfield, MA
Timothy C. Cox
President
Northland Healthcare Alliance
Bismark, ND
John Edwards
Executive Chairman
The Telework Coalition
Washington, D.C.
Donna K. Hammack
Chief Development Officer
Saint Elizabeth Health Systems
Lincoln, NE
Dolores E. Battle, Ph.D.
President
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Rockville, MD
J.R.B. Hutchinson, M.D.
CEO
Hutchline
Atlanta, GA
Gail P. Barker, MBA, Ph.D.
UltraClinics Inc.
Tucson, AZ
Daniel A. Schonwald
Chief Operating Officer
Professional Corporation of Psychiatry, Inc.
Oklahoma City, OK
Joseph Tracy
Executive Director of Telehealth
University of Missouri Health Care
Columbia, MO
Karen Edison, M.D.
Chair Dermatology
Co-Chair MU Center for Health Policy
Medical Director of Telehealth
University of Missouri Health Care
Columbia, MO
Weldon D. Webb
Director
Office of Rural Health Programs
University of Missouri School of Medicine
Columbia, MO
David A. Fleming, M.D., FACP
Associate Professor of Medicine and Director, Center for Health Ethics
Department of Health Management and Informatics
University of Missouri School of Medicine
Columbia, MO
Jan M. Sunday
Director Healthcare/Telehealth SBC SW
SBC Communications, Inc.
Hurst, TX
Craig D. Frazier
Vice President, General Manager Extended Care Solutions Group
McKesson Corporation
Springfield, MO
Marjorie Walsh
Director, Patient Care Services
VNA, Western Pennsylvania
Butler, PA
Brett Orris
Director
VNA Medical Equipment and Supplies
Butler, PA
Cindy Clark
Director, IS
VNA, Western Pennsylvania
Butler, PA
Raymond E. Helms, MPH
Administrator
ComfortCare Home Health & Hospice
Chesapeake, VA
Imelda Angat, RN
Director of Patient Services
ComfortCare Home Health & Hospice
Chesapeake, VA
Gary Bowers
Executive Director
Western North Carolina Health Network
Asheville, NC
James A. Leja Ph.D.
Associate Dean of Graduate and International Studies
College of Health and Human Services Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI
Steven C. Trout
Executive Director
Southern Consortium for Children
Athens, OH
Chris Jones
Programmer Analyst IV
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Winston-Salem, NC
Stuart M. Speedie, Ph.D.
Professor and Director Fairview University of Minnesota Telemedicine Network
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
Robin Keith
President
Nevada Rural Hospital Partners
Reno, NV
Jane Smith Patterson
Executive Director
e-NC Authority
Raleigh, NC
Ron Jacobson
Regional President
Avera St. Lukes
Aberdeen, SD
Mary DeVany
Manager
Avera McKennan Telehealth Network
Sioux Falls, SD
Catherine S. Britain
Chair
Telehealth Alliance of Oregon
Portland, OR
The Telehealth Alliance of Oregon
Portland, OR
Sylvia Temlitz, MA, RN, CHPN
Home Care/Hospice Director
Lakeview Medical Center
Rice Lake, WI
Joy Tkachuck
Program Manager Videoconferencing/Telemedicine Network
Allina Health System
Minneapolis, MN
Peter J. Kragel, M.D.
Director
East Carolina University Telemedicine Center
Greenville, NC
Kathy Apple
Executive Director
National Council of State Boards of Nursing
Chicago, IL
Kristin Hellquist
Director of Policy and Government Relations
National Council of State Boards of Nursing
Chicago, IL
Gregory L. Smith
President
Greg Smith and Associates
Manhattan, KS
John Rao
President
Secure Medical Inc.
Tempe, AZ
Jana Lindsey, RN
Shriners Hospitals for Children
Honolulu, HI
Katherine Yvette Vigil
Telemedicine Director
Shriners Hospitals for Children
Salt Lake City, UT
Jan Smith
President
Montana Healthcare Telecommunications Alliance
Billings, MT
John Heard, Ph.D.
Vice President
A.T. Still University
Kirksville, MO
Kay Thiel
Business Administrator
High Plains Rural Health Network
Brush, CO
Teresa A. Dolan, D.D.S, M.P.H.
Professor and Dean College of Dentistry
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Rex E. Gantenbein, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Rural Health Research and Education
College of Health Sciences, University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY
John M. Boehme
Associate Dean for Academic Computing and Information Sciences
Wake Forest School of Medicine
Winston-Salem, NC
Dale C. Alverson, M.D.
Medical Director
University of New Mexico Center for Telehealth
Albuquerque, NM
Harold M. Maurer, M.D.
Chancellor
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE
Jana Katz-Bell, M.P.H.
Chief Administrative Officer Center for Health & Technology
University of California-Davis Health System
Sacramento, CA
Kathy J. Chorba
Telemedicine Program Operations Manager
University of California-Davis
Sacramento, CA
Fred Eastman
Project, Programming & Administrative Services Director
Midwest Rural Telemedicine Consortium
Des Moines, IA
Thelma McClosky Armstrong
Director
Eastern Montana Telemedicine Network
Billings, MT
Marta J. Petersen, M.D.
Director
Utah Telehelath Network
Salt Lake City, UT
Karyn Sowa
REACH Montana Telemedicine Network Coordinator
Benefis Healthcare
Great Falls, MT
Jack King
Executive Director
Northcentral Montana Healthcare Alliance
Great Falls, MT
Lisa Cone
Managing Director for Homecare
Cerner Corporation
Overland Park, KS
Rob Sprang
Director
Kentucky TeleCare
Lexington, KY
Ryan J. Spaulding, Ph.D.
Director
University of Kansas Medical Center
Kansas City, KS
Lisa J. Roberts, Ph.D.
Cindy Uselman
RN Manager, Grants and Program Development
Tri-County Hospital
Wadena, MN
Daniel R. Plotkin
eHealth Program Administrator
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Jose C. Polido, DDS, MS
Head, Division of Dentistry
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Mark M. Urata, M.D., DDS
Director of Craniofacial Surgery
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Kathy Scott, RN, BSN
Director
Tillamook Home Care Services
Tillamook, OR
A. Corrie Hall
Chief Operating Officer
Kare-In-Home Health Services
Biloxi, MS
Linda Russell
Agency Director
Home Health Services of Self Regional Healthcare
Greenwood, SC
Nancy J. Sharp, MSN, RN, FAAN
Health Policy Consultant
American Nephrology Nurses' Association
Bethesda, MD
Ellen S. Phillips, MSW
Executive Director
Visiting Nurse Association of Wallingford, Inc.
Wallingford, CT
Beth A. Shambaugh, RN, BS
Executive Director
Visiting Nurse Association of Central Pennsylvania, Inc.
Harrisburg, PA
Carl W. Taylor
Assistant Dean
University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL
Thomas E. Norris, M.D.
Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, School of Medicine
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
Cara Towle, RN, MSN
Director, Telehealth Services, School of Medicine
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
Carolyn Neiswender
Director
Memorial Home Care Services
Yakima, WA
Anthony J. Zizzamia, Jr.
Executive Director
Liberty Home Care
Wilmington, NC
Keith Crownover
Director, Home Health Services
Siemens Health Services, Inc.
Altoona, PA
Jeffrey C. Bauer, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President
ACS Healthcare Solutions
Tuscon, AZ
Sherri Lazear
Business Manager
Viterion TeleHealthcare, LLC
Tarrytown, NY
Louanna L. Theurer
Grant Administrator
University of Utah Burn Center
Salt Lake City, UT
Scott Feindberg
Senior Gratns Manager
TANDBERG
Peabody, MA
Tami Siedler
AVP Operatoins
Selfhelp Community Services
New York, NY
Jake A. Levy
CEO
CareKeeper Software, Inc.
Atlanta, GA
Michele A Quirolo
President/CEO
Visiting Nurse Association of Hudson Valley
Mt. Kisco, NY
Doug Karr, MHS
CEO
American Teleradiology Nighthawks
Edgewater, MD
Meryl Weinberg
Executive Director
NYCHHC Health & Home Care
New York, NY
Gail Jurasek
Executive Director
North Country Home Health & Hospice
Littleton, NH
Sharon Meister, RN Ms
Director
Mercy Homecare and Hospice
Clinton, IA
Cynthia Clark
Quality Manager
Carondelet Home Care Services
Overland Park, MS
Cindy Campbell
CEO
Nobitas, Inc.
San Diego, CA
Deborah E. Seale
Executive Director
Telehealth Networks & Programs, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Springfield, IL
Barbara A. Nelson
Administrator
Advanced Home Health Care, Ltd.
Burlington, IA
Gene Tischer
Executive Director
Associated Home Health Industries of FL, Inc.
Sarasota, FL
Carolyn Hutcherson
Executive Director
American College of Nurse Practitioners
Washington, DC
Joanne Handy
President and CEO
Visiting Nurse Association of Boston
Boston, MA
Denise Waibel-Rycek, RN, MS
Chair, Government/Reimbursement Committee
Nebraska Association of Home and Community Health Agencies
Lincoln, NE
Maureen Cormier
Director of Quality
Hallmark Health VNA
Malden, MA
J. Steven Cline, D.D.S., M.P.H.
Epidemiology Section
Division of Public Health
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Raleigh, NC
Francine Wheelock, PT, MPA
Director Program Development and Rehabilitation Services
HealthReach HomeCare & Hospice
Waterville, ME
Pamela A. Steding
President/CEO
CHRISTUS HomeCare
San Antonio, TX
Greg Beck, MHA
Program Manager
Clarian Health Partners
Indianapolis, IN
Kathleen F. Rose
President/CEO
Vineyard Nursing Association
Oak Bluffs, MA
Joseph H. Pickering, Jr.
Executive Director
Community Health and Counseling Services
Bangor, ME
Michelle Hosler, RN, BSN, PHN
Director/Administrator
SunHealth Home Care
Sun City West, AZ
Vivian Leigh McLaughlin
Director of HealthCare Innovations & Grant Programs
Providea, Inc.
Dorothy J. Brown
Home Care Director
Rapid City Regional Hospital, Home Care Dept.
Rapid City, SD
Rose Higgins
President
iMetrikus, Inc.
Carlsbad, CA
Jeffrey C. Bauer, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President
ACS Healthcare Solutions
Dallas, TX
Joan Altomonte, P.H.N., M.A.
Director of Patient Services
YAI Home Health Services
New York, NY
Margaret Warden
President/CEO
Visiting Nurse Association of Utica & Oneida Co., Inc.
Utica, NY
Kathleen Quinn, RN, BS
Director of Patient Services
Living Resources Certified Home Health Agency
Schenectady, NY
Linda Barkan, DPS
Able Health Care Service
Nina M. Antoniotti, RN, MBA, Ph.D.
Program Director
Marshfield Clinic TeleHealth Network, Marshfield Clinic
Marshfield, WI
Ellen S. Phillips, MSW
Executive Director
Visiting Nurse Association of Wallingford, Inc.
Wallingford, CT
Beth A. Shambaugh, RN, BS
Executive Director
Visiting Nurse Association of Central Pennsylvania, Inc.
Harrisburg, PA
Roberta Greengold
Executive Director, Home Health Services
The Brooklyn Hospital Center Home Health Services
Brooklyn, NY
Barbara Knott
VP of Home Care
Schervier Nursing Care Center
Bronx, NY
Rick Pollack
Executive Vice President
American Hospital Association
Washington, D.C.
Linda Rashba, RN, MS
Administrator
Saint Francis Hospital Certified Home Health Services
Poughkeepsie, NY
Suzann VanBuskirk, BSN, RN, CNN
President
American Nephrology Nurses' Association
Pitman, NJ
Joan R Price RN, PNP, AE-C
Nurse Educator
Pittsburgh, PA
Marcia P. Reissig, RN, MS, CHCE
President & CEO
Partners Home Care
Waltham, MA
Dave Hickman, RN, FACHE
Director of Clinical Integration
Mercy Health Network
Des Moines, IA
Kim Pestour, RN, BSN, MS
Director
Lutheran Long Term Home Health Care Program
Brooklyn, NY
Anne Calvo
Administrator
Winthrop University Hospital Home Health Agency
Mineola, NY
Jay J. Weil, III
Chief Financial Officer
R&R Home Care, Inc.
Mandeville, LA
Lyn R. Tindall, M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Lexington, KY
Catherine Pignatello
Administrator
Nyack Hospital Home Care
Nyack, NY
Paula Knoll
Director of Clinical Services
Fulton County Nursing Service
Gloversville, NY
Laurie Chichester
Vice President Home Care
Metropolitan Jewish Home Care
New York, NY
Jayne OLeary, RN
Director, Performance Improvement/Staff Development
Winthrop University Hospital Home Health Agency
Mineola, NY
Marianne Grady, RN
Director of Long Term Health Care Program
Winthrop University Hospital Home Health Agency
Mineola, NY
Miriam Burns
Director of Government Relations
Selfhelp Community Services, Inc.
Brooklyn, NY
Dianne Newberry, BSN, MHA
Statewide Manager Case Management/Home Care Coordination
Centura Health at Home
Denver, CO
Jane Qiu
Director/Social Worker
Selfhelp Prince Street Senior Center
Flushing, NY
Karen OKane
Assistant Vice President Continuing Care
Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center Home Health Agency
Patchogue, NY
Martin Kosich, DDS, MD
Director of Public Health
Greene County Public Health Nursing Service
New York
Justine DiPalma
Social Worker
Selfhelp Queensview/North Queensview
Long Island City, NY
Mary Hayes
Program Director
Selfhelp Queensview/North Queensview
Long Island City, NY
Dale F. Andres, D.O.
Executive Committee Chair
Midwest Rural Telemedicine Consortium
Des Moines, IA
Lois Moses
Vice President Quality Improvement
VNA of Staten Island
Staten Island, NY
Rochelle Eggleton
Director of Home Health
Lourdes at Home
Binghamton, NY
Nat Gist
President
TeleMed Consultants
Richmond, TX
Rick W. Hartwig
Regional Director
OMNI Home Care
Oviedo, FL
Rachel Epstein, LMSW
Program Driector
Selfhelp Austin Street Senior Center
Forest Hills, NY
Julia J. Hopple
VNA President
VNA Home Health WellSpan
York, PA
Mary Myers, MBA, RN
Telehealth Consultant
Digital Visual Innovations, LLC
Hickory Corners, MI
John W. Allen
President/CEO
Good Samaritan Health System
Kearney, NE
John J. Ayoub
Vice President, Mission Integration
Good Samaritan Health System
Kearney, NE
Mardi Jones
Vice President, Continuing Care
Caritas Health Services
Bardstown, KY
Lesley Bollwitt
Director of Grants and Special Projects
Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation
Kearney, NE
John Mengenhausen
CEO
Horizon Health Care, Inc.
Howard, SD
Scott Weatherill
IT Supervisor
Horizon Health Care, Inc.
Howard, SD
Victoria G. Hines
President and CEO
Visiting Nurse Service of Rochester and Monroe County, Inc.
Webster, NY
William Belecz
Vice President, Information Systems
Visiting Nurse Service of Rochester and Monroe County, Inc.
Webster, NY
Timothy Ashe
Vice President, Clinical Operations
Visiting Nurse Service of Rochester and Monroe County, Inc.
Webster, NY
Linda Winter
Business Development
Phonoscope Health Network
Houston, TX
Nat Gist
Business Development
Phonoscope Health Network
Houston, TX
Niké Luqman
Business Development
Phonoscope Health Network
Houston, TX
Ted Viens
Special Projects Engineer
Phonoscope Health Network
Houston, TX
Jennifer Yu
ESL Teacher
Selfhelp Prince Street Senior Center
Flushing, NY
Karen Chen
Community Worker
Selfhelp Prince Street Senior Center
Flushing, NY
Andrea L. Devoti
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Neighborhood Health Agencies, Inc.
Robert Lodge, LCSW
Training Specialist Sunshine National Training Center, Office of Care Coordination
Veterans Health Administration, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System
Lake City, FL
Dan Van Roekel
Sioux Valley Telehealth
Sioux Falls, SD
Sioux Valley Telehealth
Sioux Falls, SD
Denise Waibel-Rycek, RN, MS
Director, Home Care Services
Good Samaritan Hospital Home Care
Kearney, NE
Patricia M. Kelleher
Executive Director
Home and Health Care Association of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
Donna Grimm
President/CEO
Community Health Professionals
Van Wert, OH
Linda Michielson
Director of Public Health
Wayne County Public Health Service
Wayne County, NY
Lois Schuller
Director
Sioux Valley Visiting Nurses
Sioux Falls, SD
Maria Dixon
Selfhelp Community Worker
Selfhelp Community Services, Inc.
Maspeth, NY
Donna DelCiclo
Program Director
Selfhelp Community Services, Inc.
Maspeth, NY
David Crespo
Selfhelp Community Services, Inc.
Maspeth, NY
Norma Rivera
Senior Aide Outreach
Selfhelp Community Services, Inc.
Maspeth, NY
Shari Deutscher
Social Worker
Selfhelp Community Services
Queens, NY
Hawaii Board of Nursing
Hawaii
Utah Board of Nursing
Utah
Laura Poe
Executive Officer
Utah Board of Nursing
Utah
South Dakota Board of Nursing
South Dakota
Gloria Damgard
Executive Officer
South Dakota Board of Nursing
South Dakota
Iowa Board of Nursing
Iowa
Lorinda Inman
Executive Officer
Iowa Board of Nursing
Iowa
Arkansas Board of Nursing
Arkansas
Faith Fields
Executive Officer
Arkansas Board of Nursing
Arkansas
The Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators (NLCA)
Margaret Donahue
Vice President, Community Programs
St. Marys Hospital for Children
Bayside, NY
Joseph A. Tracy
President
Center for Telemedicine Law
Washington, D.C.
Nina Antoniotti, RN, MBA, PhD
Vice President
Center for Telemedicine Law
Washington, D.C.
Jana Katz-Bell
Secretary-Treasurer
Center for Telemedicine Law
Washington, D.C.
Karen Rheuban, M.D.
Board Member
Center for Telemedicine Law
Washington, D.C.
Curtis Rooney, J.D.
Board Member
Center for Telemedicine Law
Washington, D.C.
Rob Sprang
Board Member
Center for Telemedicine Law
Washington, D.C.
Ryan J. Spaulding, Ph.D.
Center for Telemedicine Law
Washington, D.C.
Dr. Janet L. Grady
Principal Investigator, Nursing Telehealth Applications Initiative
Chairperson, Division of Nursing
Mount Aloysius College
Cresson, PA
North Carolina Board of Nursing
Polly Johnson
Executive Officer
North Carolina Board of Nursing
Raleigh, NC
Vivian Matias
Director
Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehab LTHHCP
New York, NY
Dr. Dev A. Brar
President
Nightingale Home Health Care
Carmel, IN
Christine Sakuda
Information Officer
Hawaii Primary Care Association
Honolulu, HI
Texas Board of Nursing
Austin, TX
Kathy Thomas
Executive Officer
Texas Board of Nursing
Austin, TX
Susan A. Randolph, MSN, RN, COHNS, FAAOHN
President
American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc.
Atlanta, GA
Joyce Dombrouski
Vice President of Nursing
St. Patrick Hospital
Missoula, MT