Raleigh, NC

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Randolph Communications, a member of CarolinaLink,  the North Carolina’s Broadband Cooperative Coalition, announced CarolinaLink’s  $500,000 commitment and ten-year partnership with UNC Children’s Hospital to support rural virtual health programs across the state. The gift from CarolinaLink will allow UNC Children’s  to develop a telemedicine program that will connect children in rural areas across North Carolina with specialty providers at UNC Children’s Hospital in Chapel Hill.

 

Kim Garner, General Manager and Chief Executive Officer for Randolph Communications, commented on thegift stating, “We are proud to be partnering with our CarolinaLink members, ATMC, Skyline/Skybest, Star Communications and Surry Communications to make this gift to UNC Children’s  Hospital. North Carolina’s communications cooperatives have always worked to serve the underserved areas of our state by providing critical communications services. This new telehealth program is a perfect opportunity to utilize the essential broadband services we provide connecting families living in rural areas to world-class health services from UNC Children’s Hospital.”

 

UNC Children’s has already begun forging partnerships with other health systems and pediatric offices in communities across the state to launch the telehealth programs. Locations will be selected in areas where it is more difficult to travel to the Triangle for pediatric specialty services.

 

“By partnering with rural pediatric clinics and other rural care providers, we’ll be able to bring specialty care closer to home for these children and their families,” said Michael Steiner, MD, MPH, Pediatrician in Chief at UNC Children’s Hospital. “We are grateful for the commitment and support from CarolinaLink and we are excited to launch this new telehealth program."

 

The Chancellor at UNC-Chapel Hill,  Dr. Kevin Guskiewicz,  also thanked CarolinaLink stating, “The ability to provide the best care to more families will have such a positive impact on the health and wellness of children in North Carolina. I look forward to seeing the great things that come of this new program.”

 

For more information about the UNC Children’s  Outreach Initiative Fund, visit www.unchealthfoundation.org. To learn more about CarolinaLink and their members, visit www.carolinalink.org.

 

About Randolph Communications

Randolph Communications is a member-owned cooperative that is proud of its more than 66 years of serving our neighbors and communities in Randolph, Alamance, Chatham, Davidson, Guilford, Lee, Moore and Montgomery counties. Randolph Telephone Membership Corporation began doing business as Randolph Communications in 2015, and provides a large array of telecommunication services, including telephone, high-speed internet, fiber-to-the-home, wireless, business systems, computer services, and more. Randolph Communications provides services in additional areas through its wholly-owned subsidiary, RTTI. For more information on Randolph Communications products and services, visit rtmc.net.

 

About CarolinaLinkCarolinaLink is an advocacy group for the North Carolina Broadband Cooperative Coalition (NCBCC). NCBCC is made up of the North Carolina’s seven Broadband Membership Cooperatives, who together provide advanced technology services to many of the state’s most rural areas. Through CarolinaLink these companies advocate for public policy goals which improve the lives of North Carolinians living in rural areas, such as ensuring access to state-of-the-art communications services at reasonable prices, whatever their address.  CarolinaLink member companies include ATMC, Randolph Communications, RiverStreet Networks, Skyline/Skybest,  Star Communications, Surry Communications and Yadtel.   For more information about CarolinaLink, visit carolinalink.org