HRSA and licensure portability

The topic of licensure portability has particular importance in telehealth, where the entire premise is to deliver services across distances from pockets of providers to underserved regions. Urban centers often contain an abundance of providers, especially those connected to universities and teaching hospitals. Surrounding rural areas often do not have ready access to specialists (my interest is in behavioral health, and not just psychiatry but psychology, addictions, and talk therapies as well).

[may be that there is a map showing urban centers and the rural area they serve...probably yes, I just don't have one yet.]

While looking through some emails and chasing a few links today I ran across this discussion on the Telehealth Resource Center site on the Legal & Regulatory page:

Under Licensure and Scope of Practice, several models for cross state licensure agreements are presented. They include:

• Licensure by endorsement;
• Mutual recognition;
• Reciprocity;
• Special purpose or limited licenses.

The Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) reported to Congress about the issues. HRSA has an online resource center under their rural health section specifically related to telehealth. The page includes a broken link to the The Licensure Portability Grant Program (LPGP).

"The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable."

The emerging role of telehealth/telemedicine/mHealth in bridging the gaps to universal access to physiological and psychological healthcare continues to present opportunities for research and advocacy. One that I'll keep following with expectation for the next part of my career.