SCTA's Telehealth Awareness Week Highlights New Health Programs

“We’re probably more advanced in telehealth than most states in this country,” said state Rep. Murrell Smith.

Smith is one of the state legislature’s most prominent supporters of telehealth, which connects patients to health care providers through live video.

Gov. Henry McMaster declared Oct. 15 – 19 as Telehealth Awareness Week. Hospitals, healthcare groups, and school districts hosted public events during the week to highlight new programs and demonstrate how they work.

Providers have been developing telehealth programs on their own, but experts say legislative funding has allowed them to expand programs much faster than they could on their own.