[TAO] Robert Waters - Remembering a Telehealth Giant

Tue Nov 9 05:18:08 PST 2010

Good Morning,

We learned of Bob's death just before the TAO Summit.  With the intense
activity involved in getting ready for the Summit I didn't have time to
reflect on the passing of one of telemedicine's real heroes.  The wonderful
tribute written by his friends at CTEL below outlines the accomplishments of
a man whose passion for telehealth grew over time and whose efforts on
behalf of telehealth will help define and direct policy for years to come.

To have known and worked with Bob was to have learned tenacity and optimism
even when the policy change you had spent so many months working on just got
kicked back in your lap.  His pursuit of the right thing for telemedicine
even in the face of his own illness challenges us to honor his memory, not
just with flowers, words or memorial gifts, but with renewed determination
to make telehealth an integral part of our healthcare system.  Let's keep
his light burning.

Cathy Britain

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: CTeL <lexy at ctel.org>
Date: Mon, Nov 1, 2010 at 11:11 AM
Subject: Robert Waters - Remembering a Telehealth Giant
To: csbritain at gmail.com

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     *Remembering a Telehealth Giant*

Dear Friends in the Telehealth Community:

On Wednesday, October 27, 2010 the field of Telehealth lost one of its most
coveted leaders and a  dear friend - Bob Waters.  Bob’s job was not centered
around telehealth and he didn’t have to spend time on it to make a living.
However, telehealth was one of his passions.

His interest in telehealth came during his Congressional career following
some healthcare issues for Senator Tom Harkin as his chief of staff.  The
Board of the Center for Telehealth and e-Health Law knows that Bob gave
countless hours of his own time to help all of us–including those who
were unprepared and unfamiliar with how to make changes happen–monitor,
strategize, and address issues that were impacting telehealth at the state
and federal levels.

The current Medicare reimbursement language that we have today had its roots
in the work of the Southern Governors Association in the late 1990s and Bob
was there as the language was drafted.  In September, 2000, Bob orchestrated
a hearing of the House Commerce Committee so that many of us in the field
could testify in front of Congress to voice our concerns that the Federal
government’s reimbursement language was not working and we needed a change.
Bob testified in front of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor
Act’s Technical Advisory Committee in 2007 and 2008 to overturn their
regulation that precluded the use of telehealth between two urban emergency
rooms.

In early 2010, Bob, who was already battling brain cancer, was at the
table helping ATA, CTeL, the University of Virginia, and the University of
California at Davis convince CMS that their current stance on credentialing
and privileging was about to cripple telehealth.  This was typical Bob.  His
passion for telehealth and doing the right thing rose above his illness, as
he helped all of us deal with CMS on this issue.  The good news is that we
should see a positive change in the regulations from CMS on this issue in
early 2011.

Bob’s legislative experience was critical to helping us understand what was
possible and how change could occur.   He was eternally optimistic.  When
our energy would wane, he would push harder, always asking for more.
Without Bob’s influence on the process and the influence he had on those who
engaged in the process, the needle would never have moved.  Without his
influence, we would not have seen Federal telehealth reimbursement, or
credentialing/privileging changes or many of the other telehealth
advancements.  The telehealth industry simply would not have moved forward
as fast without Bob’s help.

We may never experience another Bob Waters in Telehealth. A giant of a man,
who found joy in helping us move the field of telehealth forward. A man
whose passion to do the right thing by breaking down barriers has paved the
way for telehealth, and in doing so has made a difference in this world for
a countless number of patients who now have better access to care.

We hope you will join us and others in an effort to keep Bob’s enthusiasm
for telehealth alive and well. He would certainly want us to carry on with
the business of making telehealth a globally accepted way to deliver
healthcare services to the underserved.

Sincerely,

Your friends at CTeL

For those wishing to share a few words about Bob and his service to
telehealth, please visit CTeL's
Website<http://ctel.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=76e9f78f4b948c3d2795cd8be&id=4c6b2b380d&e=67d7cebd36>
.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial gifts be made to:  The
Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke (c/o Ellen P. Stainback, Box
3624 DUMC, Durham, NC 27710); The Iowa State University Foundation – Robert
J. Waters Memorial Fund (2505 University Blvd., Ames, Iowa 50010); or St.
Peter’s Episcopal Church (4250 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, VA  22207).  For
those of you wishing to send Bob’s family a note or card, please send them
to Bob’s wife:  Patty Beneke, 1604 Crestwood Lane, McLean VA 22101.  Bob's
family would like to invite all his coworkers, colleagues, and friends to
attend a memorial reception to celebrate his life on Tuesday, November 16,
2010 with more details regarding the time and place to follow.

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EMAIL:
INFO at CTEL.ORG I 1500 K STREET NW, SUITE 1100,
WASHINGTON, DC 20005 I MAIN: 202.230.5090 I FAX: 202.842.8465
  Sent to csbritain at gmail.com.
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-- 
Catherine S. Britain
csbritain at gmail.com
541-910-7366

-- 
Catherine S. Britain
csbritain at gmail.com
541-910-7366
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