Telehealth for American Indian and Alaska Native communities

How is telehealth used for chronic disease prevention and management in American Indian and Alaska Native communities?

Telehealth can complement in-person care through virtual visits, secure messaging, remote patient monitoring, and other digital tools. These approaches can support patient education, routine follow-up, medication management, nutrition care, specialty consultations, care coordination, and ongoing monitoring. Telehealth can help patients and providers identify health risks, monitor symptoms and treatment progress, and manage chronic conditions between in-person visits. Providers can use telehealth for:

• Risk assessment and prevention. Review health risks, provide education, and help patients establish health goals.
• Routine follow-up. Discuss symptoms, test results, medications, side effects, and treatment progress.
• Nutrition and lifestyle services. Connect patients with registered dietitians and other qualified professionals for individualized nutrition education, counseling, and support.
• Specialty care. Connect patients with specialists who may not be available nearby.
• Care coordination. Share information and coordinate follow-up among primary care providers, specialists, pharmacies, laboratories, and other members of the care team.
• Ongoing monitoring. Review patient-reported information and health data collected between visits, such as from remote patient monitoring.
• Provider-to-provider consultation. Be aware of traditions and norms, such as eye contact and health related traditions. Allow providers to consult with specialists about diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care.

Tip: For nutrition services, ask about food security and practical barriers. Work with the patient to include traditional and locally available foods when clinically appropriate. Ask whether local programs offer a Fruit and Vegetable Prescription or other produce prescription program, and refer eligible patients when available.