MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippians looking for more information about how to better care for themselves and their families have a new resource available online.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service’s Center for Technology Outreach recently launched The Telehealth Advocate. With feedback from health professionals within the Extension Service and in the medical community, this website shares information about a variety of health-related topics of interest to the state’s citizens. The site also introduces the concept of telemedicine, one of the newest strategies for using technology to bring high-quality medical care to rural and underserved populations.

The website, created by the Extension Broadband Education and Adoption Team, or e-BEAT, pairs two important concepts.

“Mississippi ranks near the bottom in broadband connectivity as well as health of its citizens,” said Chip Templeton, an e-BEAT coordinator. “People avoid going to the doctor for general health and wellness, and getting helpful, up-to-date information online could empower them to make healthier lifestyle choices.”

The site is not intended to serve as a substitute for seeking professional healthcare advice, Templeton said. It provides a “knowledge dashboard” connecting users to existing and easy-to-access health information.

Templeton said the team wanted to give people a reason to use broadband and designed the website to be easy to use for anyone interested in health-related e-materials, websites or mobile apps.

Templeton also offers educational presentations about telehealth. Mississippi is the sixteenth state to pass legislation requiring insurance companies to pay for medical care offered through telemedicine.

To access The Telehealth Advocate, visit msucares.