LITT Telehealth

LITT: Telehealth

The Telehealth LITT is an opportunity for libraries and partner organizations to connect about telehealth by sharing resources, successes, and challenges. All libraries are welcome to attend at any stage of their telehealth journey, from those exploring if telehealth is a good fit for their library to those who have fully functional telehealth programs up and running.

Telehealth LITTs are held twice a year, in March and October. Check out the calendar to see when the next one is scheduled.

You can find inspiration and resources on ICfL’s Teleheatlh in Libraries page.

Notes from Past LITT: Telehealth Chats

4 attendees

General Updates and Reasons for Joining

  • Hailey Public Library:
    • They have had a telehealth space for a few years.
    • They have Tyco machines and MyChart capabilities.
    • They have some basic medical equipment, including a blood pressure cuff, thermometer, and otoscope.
    • They wish the program were more popular, but it does get used.
    • They have had some problems with patrons not understanding or having the correct information to join their telehealth appointment. If patrons have trouble with English or digital skills, it can be hard for the library to assist them. They’ve been partnering with their health care provider to better tackle communication issues.
    • Nampa Public Library
      • Just started with telehealth and more adult wellness programming.
    • Prairie River Library District – Lapwai
      • They have a telehealth pod versus a room.
      • They’ve expanded the use beyond just telehealth. It was recently used to proctor a three-hour-long medical test.
    • Oneida County Library
      • They have had people coming in for telehealth, but they don’t have telehealth programming or capabilities yet.
      • They’re in the early stages of a remodel and are thinking about ways to incorporate a private space for telehealth and other uses into their architectural designs.

Pod versus Room

  • Attendees talked about their various setups to provide more context for the Oneida County Library District.
  • Both options, a pod or a room, can allow folks to do more than just participate in a telehealth appointment.
  • Nampa has a pod that can hold two people.
    • They allow other uses – test proctoring, job interviews, and use it as a lactation room. They really want to emphasize it as a telehealth space, though.
    • They have a desk, two chairs, a computer, a microphone, a camera, a ring light, and an air filtration system in the pod.
    • Internet access is limited to only certain sites beyond the standard library internet filtering.
  • Lapwai has a pod that can hold one to two people.
    • They also allow other uses – job interviews, testing, and telehealth. They’ve also allowed it to be used as a quiet space for a patron working on a book.
    • Lapwai does not filter the internet outside of normal library filters.
    • They have a scale, a blood pressure machine, a white noise machine, an air filter, and a computer setup.
  • Hailey has a small meeting room space.
    • They allow it as a general meeting room.
    • They have the Tyco machine, a computer, a webcam, a microphone, an iPad setup with MyChart, and their medical supplies.
  • Nampa and Lapwai keep their pods locked when they’re not in use. Nampa uses LibCal to schedule appointments. Users don’t have to have a library card to sign up, just an email address. If the pod isn’t being used, they can sign up at the library and don’t necessarily have to book ahead of time.

Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) Resources

  • The NNLM is a federal program that provides support to anyone working in the healthcare/telehealth space.
  • You can join their membership directory to indicate your interest in health programming. It’s also a great way to find partners – libraries, information centers, public health departments, K-12 schools, universities, hospitals, and other healthcare providers are all members.
  • NNLM provides various funding opportunities as well. They support a wide range of programs and professional development opportunities.
  • They also have many training opportunities. Some courses libraries may find interesting include:
  • Lastly, the NNLM book club is a great resource for libraries. You can participate yourself or use their resources to host your own programs. They typically focus on themes. April 2026’s theme was nutrition. It can be an excellent collection development resource as well. They have a list of books they’ve used for the book club.

4 attendees

Idaho Libraries’ Telehealth Program Overview

  • Idaho’s library-based telehealth program began in 2021 with federal pandemic funding.
  • Approximately 40 sites have participated.
  • Use has expanded beyond telehealth visits to include job interviews, legal sessions, and exam proctoring.

Wyoming’s Telehealth in Libraries Program Overview

  • https://wyomingtelehealth.org/public-access-telehealth-spaces/
  • Wyoming recently launched 5 booths.
  • Space limitations for TalkBox booths in smaller Wyoming libraries.
  • Wyoming’s first booth round funded by State Loan and Investment Board; second by USDA grant.
  • Wyoming plans to use “Happy or Not” devices for feedback and place booths in pharmacies.

Telehealth Library Promotion Strategies

  • Seeing a decline in telehealth use post-pandemic, possibly due to reduced funding.
  • ICfL Telehealth Survey insights showed a need to better promote telehealth services to providers and patients.
  • Ideas included business cards, stickers, and training librarians as digital health navigators (potentially Medicaid-funded).
  • Idea to use local “celebrities” for community-level health promotion. West Texas used a rodeo champion for a health campaign.
  • Strategies discussed: open houses, event integration, and staff-led pod tours.
  • Idea of remote tech support via digital navigators to reduce staff burden.
  • Have open house happen before/ after other programs where there might be high attendance, quick promotion at beginning/ end of program.
  • Set up mock appointments with a library staff member serving as the “provider”

Healthcare Library Integration Strategies

  • Discussed cultural challenges in integrating libraries with healthcare systems.
  • Telehealth usage varies widely by community demographics (e.g., 300+ visits vs. only 4).
  • Emphasis on contextualizing success metrics and using targeted flyers to address barriers.

Telehealth Libraries Implementation Challenges

  • Low demand for telehealth.
  • Tech maintenance issues with updates and needing to “reset” after each use.
  • Providers unaware of libraries as a resource to recommend.

Telehealth Reimbursement Policy Updates

  • There is some reimbursement uncertainty due to government shutdown. Rural areas still reimbursed; urban booth reimbursement unclear.
  • There will be a follow up with the Center for Connected Health Policy on where legislation stands.
  • Potential changes to telehealth reimbursement policies post-May.

3/18/2025

9 Participants

Partner and Library updates:

Your Health Idaho had one of their best enrollments in awhile, in part because of partnerships with libraries across the state!

Boise Public Library’s telehealth pod has been soft launched and used everyday since

  • Promoting as more of a “Tele-appointment Pod”, used for connecting with individuals who are incarcerated, telehealth appointments, cozy private meeting space, and job interviews. Was in recent newsletter as something new.
  • Use their calendar reservation page specific for that pod, limited of only 2 hrs, can book 3 months in advance, up to 4 reservations in a row.
  • Clear user agreement when reserving and notes there is no medical equipment in the pod. Library decided they didn’t want to be responsible to clean medical equipment.
  • City accessibility manager uses a wheel chair couldn’t get in the pod with the big chair that came with it. Traded big chair for a smaller one, but still have larger chair near to swap a needed.
  • Had a laptop at first, but their IT swapped out for a desktop with a build-in camera for ease of use. There is also a ring light and headphones.
  • Not fully private or soundproof. There is enough transparency to the glass that you can tell if there’s more than one person in the pod. They are not closing blinds at top to further aid in monitoring. A white noise machine sits outside the pod to aid with privacy.

Ada Community Library’s Star branch finally has their pod!

  • Almost ready to open, final touches were happening during the call.
  • Have had a lot of people using it as a quiet place.
  • One of their other reservable rooms is also the book sale room.
  • Children working with tutors or on PSR.
  • Might only allow a single person at a time, but allow accommodations for people who need assistance

Meridian Library District is waiting for their pod to be delivered

General Discussion & Sharing:

  • Access to telehealth providers might be changing for those on Medicare. Legislation authorized an extension of many of the Medicare telehealth flexibilities that were in place during the COVID-19 public health emergency through September 30, 2025.
  • Department of Health and Welfare update – Rachael is still helping on the back end, but has moved to a new role. The new contact is Andrew Lahren, Andrew.Lahren@dhw.idaho.gov.
  • A library in Utah got a really positive response promoting their pod for family services, court hearings, legal and family visitations.
  • NNLM shared a couple of updates:
    • NNLM’s Reading Club – Through the enjoyment and intimacy of a book club, readers can discuss health and wellness topics important to them and their loved ones as well as discover evidence-based consumer health resources from the NIH National Library of Medicine.
    • There will be at least one more instance of the Telehealth 101 course that will come up on the schedule this spring

9 attendees

What attendees want to talk about and share:

  • Hailey has had their room for a little over a year, especially interested today because underutilized, Tyto clinic kit, https://www.tytocare.com/
  • Meridian is wanting to see if good fit for their branch, “privacy pod”
  • East Bonner is new to telehealth and looking to gain resources for a pod, they have a borrowable kit (includes a headset w/microphone, laptop, mouse, noise machine, ring light, USB dock, web camera)
  • George Strawley, NNLM (National Network Libraries of Medicine) He hosts a telehealth interest group and course
  • Jaleen Johnson, NRTRC (NW Regional Telehealth Resource Center) has a wealth of links below, including a free online course

Marketing tools for telehealth libraries:

  • Marketing materials from ICfL’s Telehealth Toolkit and flyers from hospitals
  • Try getting library on healthcare providers website as a telehealth site
  • Local hospital put an ad in local paper for them
  • Consider talking with the VA about using telehealth sites
  • Talked to personal doctor about library being a telehealth site
  • See if can use university resources to make marketing materials > word of mouth will be best, or office manager of local provider
  • Word of mouth is probably going to be most effective
  • Let office manager of clinic know about telehealth at library
  • Cross promote at other library programs where target audience is in attendance. Either a brief PSA at beginning/ end of program and/or have flyers available for people to take.

Questions:

  • What are people calling their space? Telehealth room/ pod, Virtual Visit space, Privacy Pod
  • Had a dentist come in to see Tyto unit https://telehealthresourcecenter.org/resources/videos/telehealth-for-fqhcs-rhcs-what-is-teledentistry/
  • How can we help people understand what telehealth is? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5joffD8qOi8
  • How do we address proper use of the space and keep users safe? Same policy as other library spaces. Keep door closed/ locked when not in use. Someone having to check-in at desk with staff is also a security measure. Technology/ computer data is wiped after each visit. Current sites have had more issues with food being left in pod rather than use/ security issues.
  • How are people navigating the “on demand” appointment option? Elk River has a place on their website to reserve their “3rd Space” https://elkriver.lili.org/3rd-space-reservation/
  • What are other uses? We have a lot of healthcare providers in our area, so not sure if we need one of these. Can also be used for job interviews, connecting with friends and family, test proctoring, seasonal residents can use to have healthcare appointment, therapy appointments, meetings with social services (like Social Security Office)

Links:

Questions or comments about LITT: Telehealth chats? Contact Chelsea Summerlin at chelsea.summerlin@libraries.idaho.gov

LITT EVENTS

LITT: Library Lifelines – Genealogy

June 18, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm MDT

LITT: Collection Development – Library of Things

June 23, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm MDT

LITT: Library Lifelines – Finding Grants and Funding

July 16, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm MDT

LITT: Academic Libraries

July 27, 10:00 am - 11:00 am MDT

LITT: Library Lifelines – Applying for Grants and Fundraising

August 20, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm MDT

LITT: Library Lifelines – Idaho Library Highlights

September 17, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm MDT

LITT: Telehealth

October 29, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm MDT

Chelsea Summerlin

Chelsea Summerlin

Digital Skills Library Consultant
Email Chelsea / 208-639-4175
Read my Blogs
Allison Maier

Allison Maier

Public Library Program Specialist

Email Allison / 208-639-4149
Read my Blogs