Meharry Medical College to Provide Specialty Services to AmeriChoice via Innovative Telehealth Network

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AmeriChoice by UnitedHealthcare of Tennessee and Meharry Medical College will give AmeriChoice health plan members who live in rural and underserved areas access to Meharry Medical Group physicians via a telehealth network.

AmeriChoice members statewide, who are seeking adult specialty services such as a dermatologist or a neurologist, will be able to visit a local community health center and use telehealth technology to consult with specialists from Meharry Medical Group – composed of physicians who also serve on the faculty at Meharry Medical College.

The agreement with Meharry Medical College expands collaboration between AmeriChoice and the Community Health Network (CHN), which enables TennCare patients and others to utilize telehealth technology. With telehealth, patients have access to medical or behavioral health specialists at local community health centers instead of travelling to the city. CHN offers telehealth technology at about 80 locations serving rural and underserved populations across Tennessee.

“Solutions like telehealth bring Meharry Medical College closer to achieving our goal of eliminating health disparities through education, research and patient care,” said Wayne J. Riley, M.D., MBA, MPH, MACP, president and CEO of Meharry Medical College. “Physicians associated with Meharry Medical Group have the opportunity to provide clinical care to people with limited health system access, making this a true benefit for any patient – especially one living in a remote, rural area.”

AmeriChoice of Tennessee President Eric Paul said, “Our mission is to enhance access to care and services, improve quality, and achieve greater efficiencies in the delivery of health care for our TennCare members. We are pleased to bring the specialty services of the Meharry Medical Group to Tennessee’s rural and underserved communities through this innovative and expanding new resource.”

Recent telehealth infrastructure expansion is propelling the advancement of telemedicine technology. AmeriChoice announced earlier this year that it had awarded infrastructure grants to CHN and Tennessee Primary Care Association (TPCA) to further develop their telehealth capacity to accommodate the increase in the use of this technology.

“This agreement brings expanded access to specialty health care services at local community health centers throughout our state and further establishes Tennessee as a leader in providing telemedicine services,” said Melissa Hargiss, director of Tennessee’s Office of e-Health Initiatives.

About Meharry Medical College

Meharry Medical College is the nation’s largest private, independent, historically black academic health center dedicated solely to educating minority and other health professionals. True to its heritage, it is a United Methodist Church affiliated institution. The College is particularly well known for its uniquely nurturing, highly effective educational programs; emerging preeminence in health disparities research; culturally sensitive, evidence-based health services; and significant contribution to the diversity of the nation’s health professions workforce. Diverse Issues in Higher Education’s ranking of institutions annually lists Meharry as a leading national educator of African Americans with M.D. and D.D.S. degrees, and Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences. Visit www.mmc.edu to learn more.

About Community Health Network

The Community Health Network, Inc. (CHN) is a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation whose members include 17 community health center organizations and the Tennessee Primary Care Association (TPCA), collectively operating approximately 100 clinics. CHN’s mission is to improve the quality and efficiency of health care delivery for medically underserved communities by providing affordable, integrated technology systems, expertise, and related services for community health centers. For more information go to www.CommunityHealth.net.

Patients interested in scheduling a telehealth appointment at a participating community health center, or specialists interested in participating on the CHN Telehealth Network, should call 866-519-2464 x4.

About AmeriChoice by UnitedHealthcare

AmeriChoice by UnitedHealthcare is a Medicaid managed care organization that provides medical and behavioral health care services to TennCare members in East, Middle, and West Tennessee. AmeriChoice is the country’s premier provider of high quality, personalized public sector health care programs, serving more than 2.7 million people in Medicaid, Medicare and Children's Health Insurance Programs in more than 20 states and the District of Columbia. AmeriChoice is a unit of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. Visit www.americhoice.com for more information.