Telehealth can expand access to care, particularly for people in rural and underserved communities. But having access to a device or telehealth platform does not always mean someone has the skills or confidence to use it.
Anthony Nappi, who has worked with the University of Virginia on telehealth implementation in Southwest Virginia, has seen how digital literacy affects older adults’ ability to access remote care. In April 2026, he helped launch a Digital Literacy for Seniors course with community partners to help older adults develop essential technology skills.
Beyond Devices and Connectivity
Nappi’s work has focused on expanding telehealth capacity in Southwest Virginia, including through partnerships with Mountain Empire Older Citizens (MEOC), an Area Agency on Aging based in Big Stone Gap.
He compares successful telehealth implementation to building a campfire.
“You use lots of twigs and lots of kindling in order to get the fire started,” Nappi said.
For telehealth, that preparation includes addressing connectivity challenges, establishing effective provider workflows, and helping patients learn to use the technology.
In a statewide survey conducted as part of the work leading up to the Southwest Virginia interventions, three major barriers emerged: connectivity, provider workflow challenges, and technology that was too complex for care recipients. The Digital Literacy for Seniors program focused on addressing that third barrier.
Turning Digital Skills Into Greater Access
UVA, MEOC, and RACE1 (Regional Adult and Career Education of Lee, Scott, Wise, and Norton Public Schools) partnered to launch the program’s first cohort in April 2026. Using iPads provided to MEOC, the partners developed a five-session course covering email, texting, video calling, and internet safety.
These skills can help older adults navigate the steps involved in a telehealth visit, from connecting to Wi-Fi to opening an email invitation and joining a video call. The program also aimed to improve access to health-related education, support remote health care, and reduce isolation.
For Nappi, preparing patients for telehealth is just as important as addressing the technology itself.
“The care recipient needs to know what they’re doing on their side of the encounter,” he said.
That preparation means giving older adults opportunities to practice essential digital skills before they need to use them to access care.
Keeping the Support Going
The partners also planned for what would happen after the course ended. Without access to additional help, participants might struggle to resolve technical issues on their own.
To provide continued assistance, RACE1 established permanent classroom space within MEOC, where graduates could get help troubleshooting technology and continue developing their skills. The first cohort also included MEOC senior day center managers, creating additional opportunities for participants to receive assistance within their communities.
Nappi said the goal was to make sure the course led to lasting use of the technology, rather than ending when participants completed their lessons.
“We really tried to fold that in so that it wasn’t just this kind of one-off course and then, you know, the devices would gather dust at home and not be used,” he said.
Making Telehealth More Accessible
Nappi’s experience highlights an important consideration for health care organizations: successful telehealth implementation requires attention to both the technology and the people using it.
Providers can help make remote care more accessible by identifying digital literacy needs, offering opportunities for patients to practice, and ensuring support is available when challenges arise.
As Nappi’s campfire analogy suggests, technology alone is not enough. Investing in digital literacy and ongoing assistance can help turn telehealth into a more practical, accessible option for older adults.
The Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center (MATRC) offers resources to help individuals and organizations navigate the evolving telehealth landscape. As a Consultative Service Partner with MATRC, Nappi encourages readers to visit matrc.org to learn more.