06.16.20

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $2 Million In Telehealth Funding For Illinois Health Care Providers

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that seven Illinois health care providers have been awarded a total of $2,077,152 in federal funding to provide telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding, which was awarded through the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) COVID-19 Telehealth Program, was appropriated by Congress as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

“This federal funding will allow more patients to be treated remotely, which will free up space and reduce the spread of coronavirus,” Durbin said. “Telehealth services have become an invaluable resource during this pandemic. Senator Duckworth and I will continue working to improve Illinois’ access to these services.”

“Expanding the reach of Illinois’s healthcare network is critical to extending reliable care to more Illinoisans, especially as we continue to respond to the COVID-19 public health crisis,” Duckworth said. “I’m proud to join Senator Durbin in announcing these federal telehealth funds to help our state’s health providers serve their communities in this time of need.”

Legacy Medical Care, in Arlington Heights, Illinois, was awarded $48,591 for laptop computers, telecommunications equipment, network upgrades, and videoconferencing equipment so health care providers can engage patients in telehealth visits through the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond and to allow telephone-only encounters with patients. 

Access Community Health Network, in Chicago, Illinois, was awarded $130,401 for desktop computers, a video telehealth platform, video monitors, and other telehealth equipment to expand the types and amount of telehealth visits offered to patients for primary care services and behavioral health. 

Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, in Chicago, Illinois, was awarded $1,000,000 to help support the costs of a telehealth platform, thermal temperature screening system, remote radiology workstations, remote patient monitoring equipment, and network upgrades to implement a telehealth platform to support outpatient services for patients with or without COVID-19, and to maintain safe health practices in the hospitals, and to diagnose medical issues by remotely reading of medical images. 

Leyden Family Health Service and Mental Health Center, in Franklin Park, Illinois, was awarded $1,468 for phones, wireless data plans and videoconferencing software to provide distanced behavioral health treatment and to prevent hospitalizations free up hospitals to better manage the COVID-19 crisis. 

PCC Community Wellness Center, in Oak Park, Illinois, was awarded $393,575 for telecommunications and videoconferencing equipment and software licenses to implement and expand telehealth services during the COVID-19 crisis at twelve health care sites to continue providing primary care, behavioral health, and dental services to low-income and vulnerable patient populations through the use of telehealth services. 

PrimeCare West, in Chicago, Illinois, was awarded $260,517 for laptop computers and videoconferencing equipment to deliver primary care, health education, and behavioral health services to an underserved patient population in Chicago

Southern Illinois Hospital Services, in Carbondale, Illinois, was awarded $242,600 for a telehealth platform subscription to provide safe emergency, inpatient, and outpatient care remotely and help patients with a reluctance to physically travel for medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic receive treatment.

The FCC will continue accepting applications and awarding funding on a rolling basis. Applications for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program are available here: www.fcc.gov/covid19telehealth.

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