Bismarck, N.D. (AP) Telemedicine efforts in North Dakota will be receiving a share of more than $400,000 in federal funds to expand their services.
U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp says Altru Health Systems and Essentia Health Telemedicine will receive the funds. The announcement came Thursday during National Rural Health Day.
Altru will use the money to provide care for patients in a 17-county region, while Essentia will use the funds to expand its network to 21 clinics and two hospitals throughout three states including North Dakota.
In addition, Heitkamp said, congress has granted nearly $440,000 to an education effort that will provide training to emergency responders and others through 14 remote rural sites throughout North Dakota and Ohio. Heitkamp says expanding telemedicine services and educating professionals is critical to ensuring residents get "top-notch care.''