U.S. Representative Fred Upton announced today the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau will be awarding a $351,175 grant to Lakeland Regional Health system to support telehealth services. This grant includes telemedicine carts, tablets, telehealth and remote monitoring equipment, and telehealth software licenses, and to expand telehealth infrastructure to allow all 350 health care providers to see patients virtually.
The funding was made available through the CARES Act, which Upton voted for and the U.S. House passed with broad bipartisan support in March.
“We have learned many valuable lessons during the COVID-19 crisis, including the importance of telehealth as we aim to protect both patients and health care workers,” Upton said. “And to expand access to telehealth services, we know we need to expand access to broadband services, too. That’s why Rep. Clyburn and I have introduced a bipartisan bill that will bring more high-speed internet to more Michiganders, investing $100 million a year for the next ten years in our state. The bottom line is providers, staff, and patients need to have access to broadband. Our bill will do just that.”
“We are so grateful for Congressman Upton’s efforts and the CARES Act funding for expanding telehealth in Michigan’s Great Southwest,” Dr. Loren Hamel, president of Spectrum Lakeland Health, said. “The grant will help us expand access, improve the virtual care experience, and keep patients and their providers even safer.”
In total, today the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau approved an additional 53 funding applications for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program across the country. To date, the FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program, which was authorized by the CARES Act, has approved funding for 238 health care providers in 41 states plus Washington, D.C. for a total of $84.96 million in funding.
