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USDA Officials Visit Virginia, Minn. to Celebrate Expanded Rural Telemedicine Service through Essentia Health

Name
Nikki Gillespie
City
VIRGINIA
Release Date

 USDA Rural Development State Director Colleen Landkamer alongside local, state and federal officials, today visited Essentia Health in Virginia, Minn. to celebrate more than $450,000 that will go towards videoconference equipment and expand access to telemedicine services in rural communities throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Funding comes in the form of a $213,546 grant through USDA Rural Development’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program partnered with Essentia Health match funding of $227,263 and $15,300 from the Blandin Foundation.

“The Distance Learning and Telemedicine program provides people who live and work in rural areas with better access to a variety of education and health care services,” Landkamer said. “Essentia Health is providing a wonderful service to rural residents through technology that allows them to visit their local clinic and virtually communicate with physicians in other areas without having the expenses of travel and time.”

Essentia currently has telemedicine in more than 20 different specialties, including child psychiatry services, weight loss, and infectious disease. The funds will add an additional 21 Essentia rural clinics and two hospital/clinic sites to the telemedicine network, benefiting more than 300,000 people in Essentia’ s rural service area.

Since 2009, USDA Rural Development has invested more than $406 million in rural communities throughout Minnesota, to deliver broadband and telecommunication services through programs like the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program.

In addition to telecommunications, USDA Rural Development also finances housing, businesses, community facilities and other projects in rural areas. To learn more, visit http://www.rd.usda.gov/mn, or call your local area office in Virginia at (218) 741-3929, ext. 4.