This pandemic is something that in public  health we have thought about and in many  
This pandemic is something that in public  health we have thought about and in many  

cases trained for for a long time and in March  of 2020 when the world changed our practice had  
cases trained for for a long time and in March  of 2020 when the world changed our practice had  

to change and people really leapt into action  to think about how we make sure that patients  
to change and people really leapt into action  to think about how we make sure that patients  

can still get the care that they need. Community  health centers rose to the occasion to provide  
can still get the care that they need. Community  health centers rose to the occasion to provide  

critical access to primary care services  even through the pandemic and to assure that  
critical access to primary care services  even through the pandemic and to assure that  

their staff could also remain safe in the  face of increasing spread and a lack of  
their staff could also remain safe in the  face of increasing spread and a lack of  

PPE in some cases so 43 percent of health centers  provided telehealth before the pandemic, during  
PPE in some cases so 43 percent of health centers  provided telehealth before the pandemic, during  

the pandemic almost all of them. They increased  a scale moving from over about 500,000 telehealth  
the pandemic almost all of them. They increased  a scale moving from over about 500,000 telehealth  

visits to over 28 million in the course of the  pandemic. One of the resources that our office  
visits to over 28 million in the course of the  pandemic. One of the resources that our office  

used to disseminate this information  was telehealth.hhs.gov it's a resource  
used to disseminate this information  was telehealth.hhs.gov it's a resource  

for providers and patients and it includes best  practices, billing and policy information, funding  
for providers and patients and it includes best  practices, billing and policy information, funding  

opportunities research to help the providers  during this transition. Telehealth has long been  
opportunities research to help the providers  during this transition. Telehealth has long been  

a tool that our grantees in the Federal Office of  Rural Health Policy have used in order to ensure  
a tool that our grantees in the Federal Office of  Rural Health Policy have used in order to ensure  

that rural residents have access to health care  services so it was no surprise to us when COVID  
that rural residents have access to health care  services so it was no surprise to us when COVID  

hit and the grantees. Even if they weren't using  telehealth, they really did pivot in order to  
hit and the grantees. Even if they weren't using  telehealth, they really did pivot in order to  

bring telehealth services into their work plans  and keep those services going for their patients.  
bring telehealth services into their work plans  and keep those services going for their patients.  

During the pandemic we offered 15 million dollars  in grants to 159 different organizations. We  
During the pandemic we offered 15 million dollars  in grants to 159 different organizations. We  

also created a number of flexibilities for our  National Health Service Corps and our Nurse Corps  
also created a number of flexibilities for our  National Health Service Corps and our Nurse Corps  

clinicians so they could continue to  serve in the field and support telehealth. 
clinicians so they could continue to  serve in the field and support telehealth. 

Specifically for the Ryan White HIV/Aids program,  one of the first steps that was necessary was that  
Specifically for the Ryan White HIV/Aids program,  one of the first steps that was necessary was that  

we would do an inventory to capture where people  were especially our providers as far as their  
we would do an inventory to capture where people  were especially our providers as far as their  

capacity to serve as clients. Because of course  you know with this population HIV suppression is  
capacity to serve as clients. Because of course  you know with this population HIV suppression is  

a high priority and we wanted to make sure that  our clients were in a space where they felt safe  
a high priority and we wanted to make sure that  our clients were in a space where they felt safe  

and also where they could access the care in  the absence of actually coming into an office. 
and also where they could access the care in  the absence of actually coming into an office. 

I certainly hope that we've seen that we've  opened this door to telehealth we don't want  
I certainly hope that we've seen that we've  opened this door to telehealth we don't want  

to close the door and go back. Telehealth is  certainly not the answer to everything and so  
to close the door and go back. Telehealth is  certainly not the answer to everything and so  

there are many examples of where you just can't  replace an in-person visit, but there are also  
there are many examples of where you just can't  replace an in-person visit, but there are also  

many examples of where telehealth really is  a great fit to meet patients where they are.  
many examples of where telehealth really is  a great fit to meet patients where they are.  

For us at HRSA as we think about our  mission around health equity it helps us  
For us at HRSA as we think about our  mission around health equity it helps us  

address those barriers that patients face.  It may help us address social determinants  
address those barriers that patients face.  It may help us address social determinants  

of health like access to care. Transportation  is a huge barrier particularly for some of our  
of health like access to care. Transportation  is a huge barrier particularly for some of our  

families who live in remote or rural areas.  I think now that our grantees and our rural  
families who live in remote or rural areas.  I think now that our grantees and our rural  

communities have seen how much more access  they can have through the use of telehealth.  
communities have seen how much more access  they can have through the use of telehealth.  

I don't think they're going to want to go  backwards. I think they're going to want to keep  
I don't think they're going to want to go  backwards. I think they're going to want to keep  

implementing telehealth services as one tool  to help continuing to make sure that our rural  
implementing telehealth services as one tool  to help continuing to make sure that our rural  

residents really are getting the care and access  that they deserve. Here in the HIV aids bureau  
residents really are getting the care and access  that they deserve. Here in the HIV aids bureau  

we are also charged with working towards ending  the epidemic and as part of ending the epidemic I  
we are also charged with working towards ending  the epidemic and as part of ending the epidemic I  

think the strategies that we're pulling in that  are related to telehealth and other strategies  
think the strategies that we're pulling in that  are related to telehealth and other strategies  

are needed and necessary to make the changes that  we need to make to be able to end HIV by 2030. 
are needed and necessary to make the changes that  we need to make to be able to end HIV by 2030. 

HRSA was able to award 50 million dollars to  health centers to figure out how to optimize  
HRSA was able to award 50 million dollars to  health centers to figure out how to optimize  

virtual care with a special focus on the  some of the hardest to reach and most  
virtual care with a special focus on the  some of the hardest to reach and most  

disproportionately impacted populations,  individuals experiencing homelessness,  
disproportionately impacted populations,  individuals experiencing homelessness,  

migrant seasonal agriculture workers, so they're  going to figure out how do you optimize this and  
migrant seasonal agriculture workers, so they're  going to figure out how do you optimize this and  

sustain virtual care so it's there into the  future to serve the underserved communities.
sustain virtual care so it's there into the  future to serve the underserved communities.