TTUHSC Receives $1.3 Million HRSA Telehealth Resource Center Grant to Expand Telehealth in Texas and Louisiana

• By Suzanna Cisneros
• August 21, 2025
• Health

The TexLa Telehealth Resource Center, based at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), has been awarded a $1.3 million, four-year grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) to strengthen and expand digital health services in Texas and Louisiana.

The funding, part of the HRSA Telehealth Resource Center Program, will provide

$325,000 annually through 2029. It will support the center’s work to develop, maintain and enhance telehealth programs that improve health care access, quality and outcomes for rural and underserved communities.

The TexLa Telehealth Resource Center is one of only 14 centers nationwide in the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers. Through training, technical assistance and outreach, the center helps health care providers integrate telehealth into practice, ensuring patients receive timely, quality care regardless of their location.

“Advancing telehealth technology is a core part of our mission,” said Ariel P. Santos, M.D., TTUHSC Department of Surgery chair and principal investigator for the TexLa Telehealth Resource Center. “Through our partnership with the Telehealth Technology Assessment Center, we evaluate the latest tools and share unbiased guidance on telehealth hardware and software so providers can choose the best solutions for their patients.”

Santos said this funding supports the Frontiers in Telemedicine (FIT) education and training, which remain central to the center’s mission. Through the FIT lab, providers can access certifications and telemedicine training, as well as new microlearning and micro- badging programs designed to keep pace with rapidly evolving laws, credentialing requirements and billing regulations. These efforts ensure that health care providers remain informed and compliant while expanding their telehealth skills.

Santos, who also serves as the TTUHSC School of Medicine telemedicine director, said that telemedicine now extends beyond video visits.

“We are expanding into remote patient monitoring, using wearable devices to track heart health, glucose levels and other vital metrics, enabling providers to care for patients wherever they are,” he said. “We’re also exploring how artificial intelligence can strengthen health care delivery, particularly in rural areas and providing webinars and resources to help institutions adopt these innovations.”

The TexLa Telehealth Resource Center also leads numerous projects through the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers, including case-based studies and targeted initiatives. One current focus is nutrition, in support of government efforts to improve health outcomes. The center delivers webinars and telementoring sessions for health care professionals — addressing a gap in nutrition education that is often missing from medical, nursing and pharmacy curricula.

“Telehealth has the power to bring quality care to patients regardless of geography,” Santos said. “This grant helps us expand that reach across Texas, Louisiana and beyond.”