U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) today announced the release of $629,051 to The Wright Center for Community Health as part of the newly created Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program through the Federal Communications Commission.
“This pandemic has accelerated the need to expand remote access to medical care. We need to social distance, but people still need to consult with medical professionals for existing and new health issues,” said Rep. Cartwright, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “I applaud The Wright Center for continuing to make advances in removing barriers to care for patients of all types throughout our region, especially in our rural communities.”
The COVID-19 Telehealth Program will help The Wright Center for Community Health offer connected primary health services to patients at their home or mobile locations. With these funds, The Wright Center will also deploy in-home patient health monitoring kits and expand its telehealth services to provide remote but connected care to high-risk, isolated and vulnerable populations, including children, older adults, homeless individuals and those living in medically underserved, rural areas.
“We are grateful for the continued partnership with Congressman Cartwright to help protect the medical delivery system for those patients who need it most, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay,” said Linda Thomas-Hemak, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of The Wright Center for Community Health and President of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education. “This new funding will help expand our telehealth infrastructure that is already being used during the pandemic to provide essential primary health services access for medical, dental, behavioral health and addiction recovery services, to patients served by all nine of our community health locations in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wayne counties.”
