The American Telemedicine Association on Tuesday unveiled an initiative to assess how telehealth can eliminate health disparities in rural and urban communities, communities of color and tribal nations. The initiative includes the launch of an advisory group of industry and medical executives who will create a roadmap for addressing inequalities in the delivery of healthcare. The group will provide policy recommendations in the coming months, according to ATA's statement.

"Our new ATA CEO's Advisory Group brings together globally recognized leaders in health policy and service delivery who are uniquely positioned to outline the optimal strategies to use telehealth to address this very significant challenge," Ann Mond Johnson, ATA CEO, said in the statement.

"With insights from a range of stakeholders, the Advisory Group has introduced a framework that identifies the essential components of a comprehensive plan that can make a positive difference for millions of patients and healthcare systems," she continued.

Over the next year, the advisory group will outline steps that the health care sector, patient communities and government leaders can take to improve convenience and fairness in access, ATA's statement said.

Founded in 1993, ATA includes more than 400 organizations, according to its website.

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