State Demographics
RUPRI Demographics & Economic Profile
U.S. Census Bureau State & County Quick Facts
USDA State Fact Sheets
Rural Assistance Center (RAC) State Profile

Legislation
Telemedicine Legislation
State telemedicine legislation addresses various providers, including physicians, dentists, chiropractors, nurses, and other health professionals. This site includes telemedicine-related laws; however, it does not include all appropriations bills that fund telemedicine initiatives.

Telemedicine

Kansas Center for Telemedicine and Telehealth
The Kansas University Center for TeleMedicine & TeleHealth (KUCTT) of the Kansas University Medical Center is a leader in telehealth services and research. Beginning in 1991 with a single connection to a community in western Kansas, the Kansas telehealth network has grown to more than 60 sites across the state.

Telemedicine Information Exchange
A list of telemedicine and telehealth programs for all states.

Home Telehealth Programs
Telehealth programs listed by state.

State Activities in Telehealth A list of telehealth activities throughout each state.

Health Information Exchange (HIE) and Regional Health Information Organizations (RHIO)
HIMSS HIT Dashboard
Click on your state to see a list of Health Information Exchanges (HIE) and Regional Health Information Organizations (RHIO) and other Health Information Technology related projects going on throughout the state.

Kansas Health Information Exchange Roadmap

Grant Funded HIT Projects

2007 USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Recipients
October 1, 2007 . Acting Agriculture Secretary Conner announced the selection of 78 grant recipients for Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants totaling $22.3 million in 31 states. The Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant program was created to improve access to education and medical services through the use of technology. Of the grants announced today, 38 will provide access to medical services and 40 will be used to improve educational opportunities. The grant funds will be awarded to the selected recipients contingent upon meeting the conditions of the grant agreement.

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Telehealth Grantees, 2005
In 2005, HRSA administered 159 telehealth/telemedicine projects. Of those, 92 were awarded funds totaling more than $34.9 million. Projects receive funds in one of four ways: The Telehealth Network Grant Program, Rural Telemedicine Grant Program, Congressionally Mandated Projects, and Special Projects. 

Rural Assistance Center's (RAC) List of Funding Opportunities
Up-to-date summaries of funding programs are provided by RAC for your convenience. Please contact the funder directly for the most complete and current information.

Telehealth for Kansas (OAT Grant)
In 2003, the University of Kansas Medical Center Center for Telemedicine and Telehealth received its second, three-year federal grant award from the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT), a division of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The grant of $749,460, awarded in the amount of $249,820 per year for three years, is supporting and expanding Telemedicine and Telehealth's existing telehealth network.

HIT Survey Information
Responses for the 2006 TASC HIT Survey

The Technical Assistance and Services Center (TASC) surveyed 59 Critical Access Hospitals in Kansas to identify their use of HIT.  A summary of the survey is as follows:

• 36% of hospitals have a formal IT plan
• 66% have funding included in their budget for purchasing information technology
  
• 18 out of 59 hospitals said their clinicians use hand held computers/ PDAs

• All hospitals have internet (86% high-speed, 19% wireless)
• 68% of hospitals said they have encrypted secure e-mail access for all staff to protect patient confidentiality
• 98% have computerized claims submissions and 93% have computerized patient billing
• 97% have computerized payroll
• 88% have computerized registration and admission
  
• 7 of the 59 hospitals use bar-coded patient identification bracelets
• 83% of hospitals surveyed do NOT use electronic medical records
  
• 8% of the hospitals surveyed keep physician's notes and 14% of the hospitals keep vital signs records in electronic format
  
• 34% of hospital pharmacies have computerized allergy and drug interactions and 31% have computerized dose recommendations
  
• 17% of hospital pharmacies have an automated medication dispensing machine
  
• 31% of the hospitals use telepharmacy
  
• 39% have computerized clinician review of radiology results
• 47 out of 59 hospitals use teleradiology technology to transmit images electronically
• 17% of hospitals use telemedicine to consult with clinicians at other sites regarding patient diagnosis and/or treatment
• 18 of the 59 hospitals transmit EKG tracings electronically to clinicians at other sites
  
• 27% of hospitals share clinical data with selected other departments within the hospital
• 31% of hospitals surveyed have physician offices or clinics connected electronically to the hospital's information system
• 33% have long-term care facilities connected electronically to the hospital's information system
• None of the hospitals share clinical data electronically with other hospitals
  
  

Other HIT Activities

Kansas Health Information Managament Association
The Kansas Health Information Management Association “KHIMA” is an organization of professionals who manage health information benefiting the health care consumer, providers & all users of clinical data.

Kansas Hospital Association: Critical Issues: Health Information Technology
This site includes current resources KHA has available to assist with the critical issue of health information technology.

Kansas State Office of Rural Health

For additional information, please visit the Rural Health Resource Center web site at www.ruralcenter.org.