Date: August 1, 2025

Event Location: Multiple sites at venues across the Appalachian Region States 
Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia

Bridging Rural Communities: Telehealth Innovations for Appalachia and Beyond is a unique, multi-site convening designed to showcase and document best practices in telehealth across the Appalachian region. This full-day event will bring together professionals, policymakers, and program leaders committed to improving rural health through innovative telehealth solutions.

Featuring TED-style talks clustered around the region’s top health priorities—mental health, diabetes, substance use disorder, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and emergency preparedness—each session will highlight effective strategies, lessons learned, and actionable insights.

Attendees will participate in facilitated discussions to identify best practices, contributing to a published proceedings in the Journal of Appalachian Health. Join us to connect, learn, and shape the future of telehealth in Appalachia and beyond.

Priority Focus Areas Include:
• Mental Health
• Diabetes
• Substance Use Disorder
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Cancer
• Emergency Preparedness

Best Practice Categories May Include:
• Communication/Marketing Messages & Strategies
• Addressing Broadband Challenges
• Digital Literacy Solutions
• Workflow Optimization
• Technology Selection
• Workforce/Staff Training
• Funding & Sustainability
• Measurement & Data Collection
• Lessons Learned from Failures