Regions Hospital, Minnesota providers receive over $1M funding for telehealth services

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - St. Paul’s Regions Hospital is receiving $1 million of federal funding for telehealth services.

The funding comes from the Federal Communications Commission’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program, Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced Thursday. It will be used to buy a remote patient care telehealth platform.

"The pandemic has shown us how telehealth services have been a lifeline for patients across Minnesota who may otherwise not be able to access the health care they need," said Smith in the press release. "This funding will help Regions Hospital continue to use telehealth to make health care accessible to patients who are unable to get services in person."

Along with the $1 million for Regions Hospital, Klobuchar and Smith secured funding for the expansion of telehealth services for these health providers in Minnesota:

• $21,533 for Native American Community Clinic in Minneapolis
• $498,818 for Minnesota Community Care in St. Paul
• $234,352 for CentraCare Health System, the largest provider for rural Minnesota communities
• $120,305 for Nett Lake Health Services in northern Minnesota
• $981,204 for Essentia Health in Duluth

The funds will allow providers to expand patient access by purchasing more telehealth equipment like laptops and monitoring devices, as well as increase wireless broadband coverage at several clinics.