Telemedicine program receives AZ Business magazine award

The Arizona Telemedicine Program, based at the University of Arizona College of Medicine -Tucson, has been recognized by AZ Business magazine for Outstanding Achievement in Digital Health.

Ronald S. Weinstein, MD, founding director of the Arizona Telemedicine Program (ATP), accepted the award at the magazines 10th Annual Healthcare Leadership Awards celebration earlier this month in Phoenix.

Founded more than two decades ago, the Arizona Telemedicine Program was developed in response to perceived disparities in health-care services between the urban and rural populations in the state, AZ Business stated in its announcement.  A true pioneer, ATP has labored to bring innovative telemedicine services into the mainstream as a health-care delivery system in Arizona and around the world.

Telemedicine is a growth industry worldwide today, Dr. Weinstein said. We are proud of Arizona’s leadership in this industry and the role the ATP has in making this happen.

Launched in 1996 with financial support from the Arizona Legislature, the ATP now serves 170 sites throughout rural Arizona. In 2009, the ATP established the Southwest Telehealth Resource Center, which provides technical expertise and advice to telemedicine programs at hospitals and other health-care organizations in Utah, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico.

In 2003, the ATP created the T-Health Institute, described as the classroom of the future, in the historic Phoenix Union High School, now part of the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix in downtown Phoenix.