FCC Announces Second Set of Awards for COVID-19 Telehealth Program Round 2

The Federal Communications Commission approved an additional 72 applications for funding commitments totaling $41,113,186 for Round 2 of its COVID-19 Telehealth Program. This is the FCC’s second funding announcement of approved applications following the nearly $42 million awarded on August 26 to healthcare providers in each state, territory, and the District of Columbia. The FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program supports the efforts of healthcare providers to continue serving their patients by providing reimbursement for telecommunications services, information services, and connected devices necessary to enable telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Round 2 is a $249.95 million federal initiative that builds on the $200 million program established as part of the CARES Act. As outlined in the Round 2 Report and Order, once $150 million in funding has been committed, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau will announce an opportunity for all remaining applicants to supplement their applications, as required by Congress.  After all remaining applicants have the opportunity to supplement, the remaining program funding will be committed.

Below is a list of health care providers that were approved for funding (listed alphabetically):

• AdventHealth, a non-profit consortia of health care providers in Florida was awarded $791,497 to purchase broadband services as well as remote monitoring devices that will allow discharged COVID-19 patients to be remotely monitored daily by nurses and other care providers.
• Adventist Health System West serving California, Hawaii, and Oregon was awarded $1,000,000 to acquire tablets, webcams, headsets, and related peripherals to expand capacity to offer medical and behavioral telehealth services, remote COVID-19 screening, and the required follow-up care to over 2 million individuals and families located within their service region.
• The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) in Anchorage, Alaska was awarded $798,147 to supplement its existing telehealth and health information technology systems, which serve Alaska Native/American Indian residents living in remote communities.
• Appalachian Regional Healthcare in Lexington, Kentucky was awarded $408,140 to purchase video conferencing subscriptions, telehealth carts, and specialized telehealth equipment to provide care to patients in locations with limited neurology resources.
• AtlantiCare Health System in Cape May, New Jersey was awarded $533,062 to implement a more effective and user-friendly telehealth platform to address health care inequities and to increase access to socially distant health care.
• Baptist Memorial Health Care, a consortium of 22 hospitals in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee was awarded $209,008 to allow for “Hospital at Home” services from six of their rural hospitals and to provide telehealth services, such as specialty and on-demand tele-consultations, using connected devices.
• Baton Rouge General Medical Center - Mid-City Campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana was awarded $367,664 for connected tablets to provide telehealth to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Baylor Scott & White Health in Dallas, Texas was awarded $984,183 for telehealth video and messaging platforms to increase the number of patients who can receive care remotely, and consequently, reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure for patients and staff, as well as to reach patients who have been avoiding care due to COVID-19 concerns.
• Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, New York was awarded $920,000 for remote patient monitoring devices and internet services for patients and providers, as well as a remote patient monitoring platform to provide medical services to chronic, at- risk, and elderly patients from home.  
• Bon Secours, a health system serving communities in Central and Eastern Virginia was awarded $308,246 to purchase telehealth equipment used for virtual provider consultations, remote patient monitoring, and treatment of patients in hospitals and emergency departments, providing a virtual connection to clinical resources to improve access, avoid overcrowding in emergency departments, minimize unnecessary patient exposure, and reduce the spread of COVID-19.
• The Brighter Beginnings Richmond Family Health Clinic in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was awarded $1,000,000 for remote psychological monitoring devices, connected telehealth solutions, tablets, and laptops to help patients manage chronic conditions at home, and telehealth devices that allow virtual video visits.
• Camillus Health Concern, Inc., a Federally Qualified Health Center in Miami-Dade County, Florida was awarded $983,464 to purchase video conferencing software, a telehealth platform, laptops, and connected monitoring devices for both patients and providers, to decrease disparities in access to care for many patients, including those who may be experiencing homelessness.
• Care Resource Community Health Centers, Inc. in Miami, Florida was awarded $966,542 to purchase connected devices that allow clinical staff to monitor a patient’s blood pressure, weight, pulse, and glucose levels without in-person visits, helping to reduce the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus.
• Carolina Community Health Center in Wilson, North Carolina was awarded $1,000,000 for telehealth devices related to ongoing patient monitoring, allowing for the continued provision of affordable primary, dental, behavioral, and pharmaceutical health services to patients in rural North Carolina.
• Centerville Clinics in Fredericktown, Pennsylvania was awarded $224,204 to purchase phone systems, workstations for telehealth devices, and upgraded virtual storage, allowing providers to perform faster telehealth visits and handle the increased call volume due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• CentraCare Health System, a consortium of 27 health care providers in Minnesota was awarded $234,352 to purchase telehealth equipment and software licenses to increase access to care and services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Centura Health, a network of affiliated rural and Critical Access Hospitals throughout Colorado was awarded $997,597 for telehealth carts and remote patient monitoring kits for use within hospitals, to allow for remote communication, evaluation, and care for patients during the pandemic.
• Cherokee Health Systems in Talbot, Tennessee was awarded $861,560 for mobile connected devices to remotely monitor patients, which will significantly improve health outcomes in a low-income and underserved patient population.
• Community Health Net in Erie, Pennsylvania was awarded $327,661 for telehealth devices that will allow for remote evaluations from digitally connected exam rooms and management of remote patient encounters.
• Community Health of South Florida in Miami, Florida was awarded $347,850 to purchase remote patient monitoring devices, a remote consultation telehealth platform, and a patient messaging platform, to provide remote services to an estimated 10,500 patients from low-income communities.
• Cornell Scott-Hill Health Corporation in New Haven, Connecticut was awarded $713,726 for telehealth devices that will increase patient accessibility to video and voice consults and other diagnostic tools that will reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure for providers and patients.
• Cornerstone Family Healthcare in Cornwall, New York was awarded $390,329 to purchase devices, including iPads, cameras, a digital stethoscope, and laptops, that will enhance virtual diagnostic capabilities to reduce in-office patient visits for services that can be offered via telehealth during the pandemic.
• Covenant Health in Knoxville, Tennessee was awarded $987,991 to purchase telehealth infrastructure including voice, internet, information systems, and devices for the provision of both synchronous and asynchronous telehealth services, including iPads, tablets, electronic stethoscopes, and devices to further enable physical exams during virtual visits.
• Covenant Living Communities and Services, a nationwide non-profit senior care organization, headquartered in Skokie, Illinois was awarded $95,113 to purchase video and audio equipment, including electrocardiograms, digital stethoscopes, and cameras, to allow the providers to better triage patients and provide more targeted patient care to free up resources within the health care organization and over-crowded emergency rooms.
• Detroit Health Care for the Homeless in Detroit, Michigan was awarded $221,619 for kiosks and tablets to support social distancing during patient registration and sign-in for health care services to improve care for the homeless and low-income populations.  
• East Liberty Family Health Care Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was awarded $427,782 to purchase laptops, monitors, and enhanced network equipment establish secure telehealth services for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, including addressing medical, dental, and behavioral health care needs.  
• Family Health Care, a Federally Qualified and Community Health Center, in Baldwin, Michigan was awarded $713,656 for virtual exam room kits, connected diagnostic devices, expanded internet infrastructure, and connected tablets to provide patients at five primary care health centers and three child and adolescent centers with increased and remote access to primary care, chronic condition management, and mental health services, thereby reducing the burden on limited primary care providers while increasing patient engagement in counseling services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida in Fort Myers, Florida was awarded $13,801 to purchase computers and smart phones to provide telemedicine and synchronous telehealth services to patients during the pandemic.
• Franciscan Health Indianapolis in Mishawaka, Indiana was awarded $747,665 to purchase remote patient monitoring devices to allow patients to provide real-time vitals data to providers, which will allow providers to serve more patients over a wider geographic area.
• Gaston Family Health Services, a series of Federally Qualified Health Centers in ten counties in North Carolina was awarded $983,524 for mobile satellite links, telemedicine wall units, and connected monitoring devices to reduce in-person encounters and patients' transportation needs, and to connect providers to diagnostic measures that enable more rapid decision-making for their patients.
• The Guthrie Clinic in Troy, Pennsylvania, was awarded $949,721 to purchase telehealth equipment to facilitate a variety of remote health care services including tele-ICU consultations with specialists for COVID-19 patients, remote continuous monitoring (tele-sitting) for senior patients, and increased access to primary and specialty care for non-COVID-19 patients.
• The Health Care Collaborative of Rural Missouri was awarded $285,871 to purchase tablets and connected monitoring equipment for patients with chronic conditions, allowing primary providers to treat patients in their homes instead of the clinic, reducing the spread of COVID-19, improving health outcomes of those with chronic conditions, and keeping appointments open for patients requiring in-person care.
• Health Services, Inc., a Federally Qualified Health Center with facilities throughout Central Alabama was awarded $533,071 to purchase network equipment for internet and voice services, allowing providers to conduct video consultations, voice consultations, imaging diagnostics, and other related services to care for patients and more easily document visits with electronic medical records.
• The Heartland Health Centers in Chicago, Illinois was awarded $460,635 for telehealth devices that will allow call center tele-triage, patient outreach and education, remote insurance enrollment, delivery of telehealth visits by phone and video, and remote monitoring of patients with chronic conditions and illnesses.
• Hills & Dales General Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital with multiple rural health clinics, in Cass City, Michigan was awarded $684,801 to adopt a remote patient monitoring system and offer virtual visits to patients that, due to a spike in COVID-19 in this location, remain reluctant to visit hospitals and offices in-person for their routine and preventative services.
• Horizon Health Services in Buffalo, New York was awarded $697,590 for a telehealth platform and audiovisual devices to continue delivering remote mental health and substance use disorder treatment services to residents in Western New York, diminishing interruption to services with familiar counselors.
• Huntsville Hospital in Huntsville, Alabama was awarded $394,478 to purchase telemedicine devices, including tablets and telemedicine carts, that will help to reduce strain on the hospital system and its resources while decreasing the potential spread of COVID-19.
• Indiana Regional Medical Center in Indiana, Pennsylvania was awarded $295,298 to purchase laptops for physicians when engaging patients directly, and telemedicine carts that help connect physicians to the patients remotely.
• Keck Hospital and School of Medicine of USC in Los Angeles, California was awarded $895,102 for a full network capacity expansion to enable the provision of safe, remote endoscopic screening of vulnerable patients and to expand access to critical gastroenterology screening for remote, rural, and underserved populations across the United States.
• Kootenai Health in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho was awarded $784,023 to purchase telehealth devices and software to allow the delivery of complex care consultations by specialists and provide a centralized platform to view patient information.
• Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, Florida was awarded $1,000,000 for remote telemedicine devices that healthcare providers will use for intensive care unit hospital patients, as well as remote monitoring devices that patients can use in their homes.
• Lone Star Circle of Care in Georgetown, Texas was awarded $220,476 to upgrade internet connectivity and broadband services that will advance its goal of converting 75% of primary care and behavioral health visits to synchronous video visits.
• Maniilaq Health Center in Kotzebue, Alaska was awarded $637,869 to replace its Health IT infrastructure to meet the demands of COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccination in a service area that is rural and sometimes roadless.
• Maple City Health Care Center in Goshen, Indiana was awarded $312,073 to provide laptop computers, cameras, and headsets to remotely treat COVID-19 patients via telehealth, including providing small, hand-held tablets to enable non-Spanish speaking healthcare providers to connect with interpreters during telehealth sessions to treat Spanish-speaking patients.
• The Medical Center at Bowling Green in Bowling Green, Kentucky was awarded $100,325 to purchase telehealth carts and remote patient monitoring devices that allow providers to monitor critical COVID-19 positive patients remotely, and which will increase access to specialists and providers for patients in rural areas.
• The Medical University of South Carolina Medical Center in Charleston, South Carolina was awarded $607,978 to purchase devices used to build telehealth carts to continuously monitor patients, allowing for a 24/7 video connection between patients and providers.
• Memorial Healthcare System, serving communities throughout South Florida was awarded $974,968 for telehealth devices to support connections between patients and healthcare providers while increasing access to care, streamlining operations, and making healthcare interventions more timely, efficient, and effective.
• Methodist Healthcare Memphis Hospitals in Memphis, Tennessee was awarded $280,211 for connected remote patient monitoring devices including glucometers, scales, blood pressure cuffs, and tablets, which will be used by providers and patients within their facilities to support family visits, care consultations, and medical screening exams.  
• Morris Heights Health Center in Bronx, New York was awarded $197,529 to purchase tablets and devices that connect to a telehealth platform to provide telehealth services for patients unable to make in-person visits, and for routine primary care visits, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Neighborcare Health at Rainier Beach in Seattle, Washington was awarded $823,563 for computer systems dedicated to tele-video visits, giving health care providers the ability to conduct telemedicine in a variety of physical settings and allow providers to quickly address changes in their patients’ status without having to wait for the next in-person visit.
• Nett Lake Health Services in Nett Lake, Minnesota was awarded $120,305 for telehealth equipment, including computers with built-in cameras, to support remote consultations, thereby assisting its medical personnel in administering telehealth care.
• Northwest Buffalo Community Health Care Center in Buffalo, New York was awarded $479,019 to support the telehealth function in its patient portal for ease of communication and connection between providers and patients, in addition to server upgrades to accommodate the increased flow of traffic and data through its information systems.
• NSB Health & Social Service Department, serving Native American and rural communities in Alaska’s North Slope villages was awarded $319,409 for telehealth carts, kiosks and wireless networking equipment to serve high-risk, low-income, and geographically isolated residents that benefit from telehealth technologies, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The North Central Family Medical Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina was awarded $269,050 to purchase software, tools, and a telehealth platform that enables video conferencing between clinicians and patients.  
• Orange Blossom Family Health in Orlando, Florida was awarded $126,360 to purchase internet connectivity services, a telehealth platform subscription, monitors, and associated equipment and services, to provide safe care for patients experiencing homelessness or residing in low-income communities, and to address disparities in healthcare access during the pandemic.
• OSF Healthcare System in Peoria, Illinois was awarded $943,644 for telehealth devices that provide video and telephonic connections between patients and providers, with a particular focus on the low-income and hardest-hit areas in the community it serves.
• Philadelphia FIGHT in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was awarded $399,183 for tablets to support remote access to clinical information systems (including electronic medical/health records), facilitate telehealth visits with patients, and grant health care providers access to the tools necessary to ensure quality continuity of care during the pandemic.
• Presbyterian Healthcare Services in Albuquerque, New Mexico was awarded $625,790 to expand telehealth services and increase access to patient care, through the purchase of laptops, tablets, smartphones, headsets, and webcams, to enable live video (synchronous) visits, asynchronous visits, telephonic visits, and remote patient monitoring.
• Roseland Community Hospital in Chicago, Illinois was awarded $44,107 to purchase devices, including iPads, tablets, cameras, a computer, and a smart TV,  used by clinicians and health care workers to communicate virtually and provide care for patients and those in treatment.
• Salud Family Health Center, a non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center with locations in northeastern Colorado was awarded $433,140 to acquire devices, blood pressure monitors, glucometers, digital scales, and pulse oximeters, that will enable delivery of telehealth services that enable providers to actively track patients' health status.
• Samaritan Healthcare in Moses Lake, Washington was awarded $425,449 to purchase telehealth services and connected devices, including laptops and webcams, to securely administer telehealth care to patients.
• Shore Memorial Hospital in Somers Point, New Jersey was awarded $770,000 to purchase telehealth devices and service subscriptions which will allow providers to remotely monitor patients with telecommunication, transportation, and mobility challenges.  
• South Boston Community Health Center in South Boston, Massachusetts was awarded $45,557 to purchase and upgrade its communications system to handle increased volumes due to the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out and COVID-19 treatment.
• St. Luke Community Healthcare in Ronan, Montana was awarded $251,609 to purchase software and devices, including laptops, tablets, and remote monitoring equipment, to provide telemedicine through virtual platforms, ensuring safe and effective collaboration and communication of critical pandemic updates.
• Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Florida was awarded $1,000,000 to purchase a telehealth platform and equipment to provide safe, remote care in primary care, school programs, and urgent care settings.
• The University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville, Florida was awarded $480,364 for remote patient monitoring devices and other telehealth equipment to provide telehealth services that reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and provide safe health care access to high-risk populations.
• The University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York was awarded $996,280 for telehealth kits that include connected devices, such as blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters, wireless scales, and tablets to assist health care professionals to remotely detect risk factors for COVID-19 and determine which patients are most vulnerable and in need of hospitalization.
• USA Health University Hospital in Mobile, Alabama was awarded $833,250 for telehealth carts and connected devices to enhance patient care by allowing family members remote access to isolated patients, particularly those patients that have tested positive for COVID-19.
• Vidant Health System, serving eastern North Carolina was awarded $897,000 to purchase remote patient monitoring equipment to evaluate and treat patients with and without COVID-19 symptoms, monitor chronic conditions, and improve patient care.
• Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers in Honesdale, Pennsylvania was awarded $421,883 to purchase cameras and headphones to better communicate with patients, and ultrasound machines to provide patients obstetrical tests, all while supporting virtual communication for telehealth visits.
• Whittier Street Health Center in Roxbury, Massachusetts was awarded $936,400 to purchase equipment for telehealth visits, including remote patient monitoring devices for hypertension and diabetes management.
• Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York was awarded $601,397 for computers and cameras to facilitate remote medical care for patients from the safety of their homes, including routine consultations for patients who are not severely ill or in need of urgent care, reducing the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus.