University of Missouri School of Medicine researchers have received a $3.9 million grant from the federal Health Resources and Service Administration to launch a new center focused on improving telehealth in rural communities.

The new Center for Telehealth Research and Policy (C-TRaP) will examine how telehealth is used in rural areas, what barriers remain and how policies can be shaped to improve care.

Telehealth use has surged in recent years. According to the Missouri Telehealth Network, 15,911 MO HealthNet beneficiaries had 49,557 telehealth visits in 2017, the most recent year with available data — a tenfold increase in services since 2010 and nearly four times as many patients.

While that growth has expanded access, lead researcher Mirna Becevic said major challenges remain.

“We

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