IHS Awards $6.8 Million Telemedicine Services Contract to Avera Health in the IHS Great Plains Area

On Tuesday, September 20, 2016 before a Native audience of more than 800 Tribal leaders and health professionals at the NIHB National Tribal Nations Annual Health Conference, Principal Deputy Director of the Indian Health Services, Mary Smith, announced a contract awarded to Avera Health for $6.8 million.  Avera Health will provide telemedicine services in all 19 Great Plains Area service units, which serve approximately 130,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs).  The IHS announcement was met with a standing ovation from the NIHB Board of Directors and Great Plains Tribal leaders in attendance. Patrick Marcellais, the NIHB Great Plains Representative and Councilman of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, said “This is a terrific move that will make a huge difference to the Tribes in the Great Plains.”

Telemedicine services use electronic communications to connect health care providers and patients for remote clinical appointments, as well as some nonclinical services.  IHS has found that telemedicine can be one of the best ways to get health care services where they are needed most, and this contract with Avera Health expands telemedicine services as a means of strengthening access to care at IHS health facilities in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota.

The contract will strengthen existing IHS services for patients by enabling IHS facilities to offer additional specialty services and appointments to ensure patients have the fastest possible access to the health care they need. Avera Health will be providing additional emergency medical services at hospitals in the Great Plains Area as well as providing additional access for American Indians and Alaska Native patients to see specialists in: behavioral health; cardiology;maternal and child health; nephrology; pain management; pediatric behavioral health; rheumatology; wound care; ear, nose and throat care; and dermatology.

“It is challenging to provide specialty health care in rural areas, and this is especially true in Indian Country.  IHS has long been a leader in information technology and electronic health records, and IHS experience shows that telemedicine is an effective way to increase access to quality health care services in remote, heard to reach areas,” said Mary Smith, Principal Deputy Director of IHS.

The funding announced at the NIHB National Tribal Nations Annual Health Conference covers one year of services.  IHS has the option to add funding to the contract to expand services this year as well as to extend services up to five years, subject to availability of resources.  IHS issued the Request for Proposal seeking these telemedicine services in May 2016.

The IHS press release can be accessed here. For more information, please contact NIHB’s Director of Federal Relations, Devin Delrow at ddelrow@nihb.org.