Illinois State University (ISU) and OSF HealthCare are set to initiate the Simulation to Address Rural Telehealth Education Development (STARTED) project, a telehealth training program for nursing students, according to TechTarget.

This initiative, part of ISU and OSF's Connected Communities Initiative launched in March 2023, aims to provide telehealth training for future clinicians. The STARTED project focuses on addressing healthcare challenges in central Illinois' rural communities using telehealth tools and processes. Nursing students will access web-based modules covering telehealth technology, equipment, and best practices. The program includes simulation training with 50 standardized participants (SPs), trained actors delivering realistic scenarios for synchronous and asynchronous telehealth visits.

OSF HealthCare collaborated with ISU to develop modules, simulations, and provided SPs to assess students.