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Rural Healthcare Providers in Mississippi Receive Support to Implement Telehealth ServicesJACKSON, Miss., Oct. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The COVID-19 pandemic and an increased usage of telehealth services has exposed the inadequate broadband coverage that many rural healthcare providers face. Centene, a leading multi-national healthcare company, has announced a collaboration with AT&T to offer healthcare providers access to FirstNet® – the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America's first responders and the extended public safety community. Magnolia Health, as part of the Centene family, will be deploying this program to rural healthcare providers and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in Mississippi to expand access to telehealth services and enable them to better serve their patients. Centene and Magnolia Health healthcare providers join FirstNet as extended primary users - organizations and agencies that could be called on to support public safety during significant emergency response. From mitigation, remediation, clean-up and restoration to the provisioning of other services required during the time of an emergency or its aftermath, extended primary users includes public works, healthcare, essential government services, school security, transportation and utilities. Eligibility for extended primary user status is rigorously reviewed before service is approved to help ensure that FirstNet's unique capabilities remain dedicated to first responders and those who support them. Access to high-speed broadband internet can be a limiting factor for healthcare providers and primary care physicians (PCPs) to effectively use telehealth to treat patients remotely or provide access to virtual specialists. At the same time, the upfront costs of telehealth equipment can create another barrier, especially when considering the financial impacts of COVID-19 on smaller healthcare providers. Through the program, Magnolia Health will help rural providers and FQHCs integrate virtual care into their workflows with access to the FirstNet network and is also making equipment grants aailable to select practices to help cover their upfront investment costs. By addressing providers' connectivity and affordability challenges, Magnolia Health hopes to enable them to:
"During the COVID-19 pandemic, rural providers and FQHCs have faced hardships that have threatened their ability to remain open, which can negatively impact the health of their communities," said Aaron Sisk, CEO and president of Magnolia Health. "With FirstNet available to these providers, they're able to implement telehealth systems feasibly and economically, so they can continue to operate and provide care to those in need." Magnolia Health has been supporting Mississippi residents since 2011 across Medicaid, Medicare, and its Marketplace product, Ambetter from Magnolia Health. Their efforts to address the social determinants of health reinforce their long-standing commitment to supporting the whole health of their communities, one person at a time. FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks of the First Responder Network Authority. About Magnolia Health About Centene Corporation Centene uses its investor relations website to publish important information about the company, including information that may be deemed material to investors. Financial and other information about Centene is routinely posted and is accessible on Centene's investor relations website, http://www.centene.com/investors.
View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rural-healthcare-providers-in-mississippi-receive-support-to-implement-telehealth-services-301153173.html SOURCE Magnolia Health |