Commending the Virginia Telehealth Network.

Commending the Virginia Telehealth Network.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 2, 2026
WHEREAS, the Virginia Telehealth Network (VTN) is a statewide leader in advancing the use of telehealth and related technologies to improve access to high-quality health care for all Virginians; and
WHEREAS, the origins of the Virginia Telehealth Network trace back to the early 2000s, when Virginia's representative on the Southern Governors' Association's Telehealth/Homeland Security Task Force undertook one of the first coordinated efforts to identify telehealth stakeholders across the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, following years of strategic planning and collaboration to advance a unified statewide vision for telehealth, the Virginia Telehealth Network was formally established in 2006 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization by health care professionals committed to strengthening access to care through innovation; and
WHEREAS, from its inception, the Virginia Telehealth Network has been guided by the vision that all Virginians should have access to high-quality health care anytime, anywhere and by a mission to promote the responsible adoption, implementation, and integration of telehealth and related technologies across the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, during its formative years, when telehealth was still emerging as a care modality, the Virginia Telehealth Network focused on convening stakeholders, fostering cross-sector partnerships, disseminating best practices, and building awareness of telehealth's transformative potential; and
WHEREAS, throughout the 2010s, as broadband access expanded and telehealth technologies matured, the Virginia Telehealth Network played a key coordinating role among health care providers, professional associations, academic institutions, and policymakers; and
WHEREAS, through statewide surveys, benchmarking reports, and policy engagement, the Virginia Telehealth Network helped elevate telehealth from isolated pilot projects to a recognized and sustainable component of the delivery of health care, particularly in rural and medically underserved communities; and
WHEREAS, in 2016, the Virginia Telehealth Network convened its inaugural Virginia Telehealth Network Summit at the University of Virginia's Jordan Hall Conference Center, further strengthening collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, during the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth adoption accelerated dramatically, and the Virginia Telehealth Network served as a central convener, researcher, and advocate, supporting providers and stakeholders as telemedicine use expanded statewide; and
WHEREAS, research associated with the Virginia Telehealth Network documented significant increases in telehealth utilization during 2020 and beyond, demonstrating telehealth's critical role in maintaining access to care while reducing infection risk; and
WHEREAS, recognizing telehealth as an integral component of the delivery of health care, the Commonwealth vested the Virginia Board of Health with responsibility for developing and maintaining a Statewide Telehealth Plan and directed the board to contract with the Virginia Telehealth Network, or a similar nonprofit organization, to provide consultation, track implementation, and support plan updates; and
WHEREAS, this statutory designation elevated the Virginia Telehealth Network from an advocacy and support organization to a central architect and steward of the Commonwealth's public telehealth strategy; and
WHEREAS, from 2022 through 2025, the Virginia Telehealth Network continued its leadership through research, statewide summits, educational resources for the Commonwealth's health care providers, engagement with equity and rural health initiatives, and partnerships supporting innovative programs such as the Virginia Telemental Health Initiative; and
WHEREAS, as the Virginia Telehealth Network celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026, it stands as a testament to collaborative innovation in health care, reflecting the evolution of telehealth from promise, to practice, to policy; and
WHEREAS, throughout its first two decades, the Virginia Telehealth Network has consistently championed access, equity, collaboration, and innovation, advancing the Commonwealth's commitment to high-quality health care for all Virginians; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Virginia Telehealth Network hereby be commended for its legacy of service to the Commonwealth on the occasion of its 20th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Virginia Telehealth Network as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the organization's contributions to the Commonwealth.