Concord University will host Bridging Rural Communities: Telehealth Innovations for Appalachia and Beyond on August 1, 2025. This free, full-day event is open to professionals, social workers, community advocates, caregivers and changemakers working to improve health care, mental health care and access to care in rural communities.
It will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Pais Fellowship Hall at University Point on Concord’s campus. Participants will explore groundbreaking strategies for delivering health care across Appalachia using telehealth innovations. The program is slated to include a variety of TED-style talks, panel discussions and collaborative sessions focusing on the region’s most pressing health concerns — including mental health, diabetes, substance use disorder, cardiovascular disease, cancer and emergency preparedness.
Highlights will feature best practices from across Appalachia; action-oriented discussions to shape a published report in the Journal of Appalachian Health; and sessions on communication strategies, broadband access, digital literacy, workforce training and more. Registration, lunch, beverages and continuing education credits are provided at no cost.
For more information, contact Dr. Shawn Allen at rallen@concord.edu or Dr. Samantha Byrd at sbyrd@concord.edu. To secure your spot at the event, register at www.BridgingRuralCommunities.org.
