Telehealth Infrastructure
Strengthening the Digital Backbone of Rural Health Care
Telehealth Infrastructure Expansion
The Telehealth Infrastructure Expansion is designed to enhance health care delivery across rural Texas through two key components: the Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Program and the expansion of telehealth equipment to support specialty clinics.
Telehealth offers accessible, quality health care anytime and anywhere. I have witnessed
firsthand how it breaks down barriers to health care access, making it more convenient
for patients to manage their complex, chronic conditions and increasing efficiency
for health care providers.
Ariel Santos, M.D., MPH, FRCSC, FACS
Director of Telemedicine Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ School of Medicine
The Intersection Of Digital Innovation And Telemedicine
Over the next two years, the project aims to significantly advance patient care and access to medical services.
REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING
The RPM Program is building the foundation and backbone necessary to support remote care for patients with chronic conditions and other health care needs. Housed within the Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ School of Medicine, the program collaborates with the Nurse on Demand initiative to provide comprehensive support to enrolled patients. Nurse on Demand is a service that provides medical guidance from registered nurses in West Texas. This service offers individuals initial screenings, home-care instruction, referrals to urgent care facilities and more. To strengthen its capacity, the RPM Program onboarded essential staff in late 2024, including a program manager, a registered nurse (R.N.) and a licensed vocational nurse (LVN). These additions enable the program to better coordinate care, monitor patient health remotely and ensure timely intervention when needed.
TELEHEALTH EQUIPMENT EXPANSION
To increase access to specialty telehealth services, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ invested in the acquisition of telehealth equipment, which will allow more Texas Tech Physicians to establish and expand telehealth specialty clinics in rural Texas. This initiative includes the purchase of telehealth carts and a suite of advanced peripheral devices. Notable among these tools is the digital general exam camera, which supports remote dermatology consultations, and the portable ultrasound, enabling remote obstetrics (OB) consultations. Additionally, a 12-lead ECG device enhances the capacity for remote cardiology assessments.
NEXT STEPS
The next phase of the Telehealth Infrastructure Expansion will focus on identifying clinical sites for equipment deployment and facilitating site readiness. Once deployed, these sites will be staffed by Texas Tech Physicians, who will provide direct telehealth services to rural communities. This expansion aims to bridge health care access gaps in underserved areas, bringing specialty care closer to home for rural Texans.
Project Leads
John DeToledo, M.D.
Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ School of Medicine Dean and Executive Vice President for Clinical Affairs
Marty Clay, MBA
Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ Associate Vice President for Clinical Practice and Executive Associate Dean