2026 Virginia Broadband Telehealth Conference
On May 12-13, Virginia Telehealth Network (VTN) and the Broadband Association of Virginia co-hosted the Virginia Broadband Telehealth Conference in Charlottesville. This two-day event brought together healthcare leaders, broadband providers, policymakers, educators, and community advocates to explore how expanded connectivity can improve access to care across the Commonwealth.
Throughout the conference, speakers and panelists discussed the growing role of telehealth in addressing healthcare access challenges, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Sessions focused on topics including broadband infrastructure, telehealth policy and reimbursement, digital equity, workforce development, and innovative models of virtual care delivery.
Founding VTN board members, Howard Chapman, Joe McMenamin, Azhar Rafiq, Karen Rheuban, and Kathy Wibberly, received Telehealth Hall of Fame awards for 20 years of championing telehealth across the Commonwealth.
Virginia’s State Telehealth Plan
The 2026–2030 Virginia State Telehealth Plan, an initiative led by the Virginia Telehealth Network, served as a central theme throughout the conference, highlighting the Commonwealth’s shared vision for expanding access to telehealth.
During the opening session on May 13, Virginia Department of Health Commissioner Cameron Webb, MD presented the State Telehealth Plan to attendees, highlighting its vision for expanding access to care across the Commonwealth. The conference concluded with a joint meeting of the Broadband Advisory Council and the Virginia State Telehealth Plan Advisory Committee, where members reflected on key conference insights and identified action items to help inform the Plan’s continued development and implementation.
Learn more about the Virginia State Telehealth Plan.
2024 VTN Summit
September 25 in Richmond, Virginia
This hybrid event was held in collaboration with the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center.
Program Sessions Topics:
- Information regarding interstate licensure compacts
- Policy framework: Revisiting Virginia’s State Telehealth Plan
- MATRC sponsored: Artificial intelligence and the future of health care
- Legal aspects of AI
- Networking and Coffee
VTN Innovator Award
This award celebrates the unique and groundbreaking ways health care providers, clinics, and organizations across the Commonwealth are leveraging telehealth to expand access to care in rural and underserved areas. By recognizing these forward-thinking approaches, we aim to inspire continued creativity and highlight the critical role telehealth plays in enhancing the quality and reach of health care in the Commonwealth.
A panel of judges organized by VTN evaluated applicants based on impact, need, creativity, and use of existing technology.
Congratulations to Bay Rivers Telehealth Alliance (BRTA) for bringing home the inaugural VTN Innovator Award for its work to increase access to care for individuals exhibiting symptoms of mental health and substance use disorders in rural communities. Learn more about BRTA’s work here.
The 2024 VTN Summit was sponsored by the Virginia Department of Health Office of Rural Health, Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center, and Williams Mullen.
2023 VTN Summit: Planning for the Future of Telehealth
On March 15, the Virginia Telehealth Network, Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center, and Virginia Department of Health hosted a transformative discussion about shaping the future of telehealth in Virginia during a special pre-session of the 2023 Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center Summit. The session featured:
- High-level policy discussions regarding changes needed at the federal, state, and local levels.
- Local innovations in telehealth that could present models for replication across the Commonwealth.
- Multi-sector dialogue regarding where Virginia wants telehealth to be in the next five years.
This “north star” conversation will inform enhancements to the State Telehealth Plan. During the working session, attendees provided their input into the plan and helped incorporate the latest research on telehealth implementation, best practices, and innovative models.
Read a full summary and key takeaways from this event here.
View details from past VTN Summits.