Getting started: Using telehealth in American Indian and Alaska Native communities
Telehealth can improve access to care by connecting American Indian and Alaska Native patients and local providers with specialists and services that may not be available.
On this page:
How is telehealth used in American Indian and Alaska Native communities?
Telehealth can support clinical services and connect local providers with specialists in other locations. Common uses include:
- Primary and preventive care. Telehealth can support routine visits, preventive counseling, and some health screenings.
- Specialty care. Virtual care can support specialty consultations, second opinions, and follow-up care, especially when these services are not available locally.
- Mental health and substance use disorder services. Telehealth can support counseling, treatment, and medication management.
- Chronic disease prevention and management. Telehealth can support care for diabetes, heart conditions, and obesity. This may include patient education and review of health information collected from remote patient monitoring devices.
- Nutrition care. Telehealth may be used for medical nutrition therapy, nutrition counseling, diabetes prevention, and healthy lifestyle support.
- Follow-up care. Virtual care can be used to review laboratory results, coordinate referrals, and follow patients after hospital or specialty visits.
- Provider-to-provider consultations. Telehealth can connect local providers with specialists. Consultations and telementoring can help local care teams build expertise and provide more care locally.
What are the benefits of using telehealth in American Indian and Alaska Native communities?
Telehealth is most useful when it addresses a need identified by the community. Benefits may include:
- Increased access to care. Telehealth can connect patients with specialty care, behavioral health services, nutrition care, and other services that may not be available in the community.
- Reduced travel. Virtual care can reduce the need for long-distance travel and time away from work, school, or family.
- Support for providers. Specialist consultations and telementoring can help local providers expand expertise.
- Improved care coordination. Telehealth can help providers share information to support patient care.
More information:
Benefits of telehealth in rural areas — Health Resources and Services Administration
Getting started with telehealth — Health Resources and Services Administration
Telebehavioral health for American Indian and Alaska Native communities — Health Resources and Services Administration
Telehealth for chronic conditions in American Indian and Alaska Native communities — Health Resources and Services Administration
IHS Telehealth Programs — Indian Health Service
Indian Health Service Telehealth Toolkit (PDF) — Indian Health Service