Associate Professor of Advertising and Public Relations Bree Holtz has been elected as an American Telemedicine Association (ATA) Fellow. This high honor signifies Holtz’s extensive involvement with the organization, something that Holtz is proud to be a part of.
“I am deeply grateful and honored to be able to stand with the past fellows whose work I greatly admire,” said Holtz.
Established in 1993, ATA is a non-profit association focused on advancing telehealth through its support and pursuance of policies that ensure everyone has equitable, affordable, and accessible health care.
The association annually elects members of distinction to be fellows, highlighting their significant achievements in telemedicine and their dedicated service to ATA and the telemedicine community.
For Holtz, her election as a fellow represents “a recognition that my research and service to the community is meaningful.”
The fellowship comes after Holtz’s eight years of membership with ATA, where she founded the mobile health special interest group (SiG), later becoming the group’s secretary and then vice chair.
As a researcher and faculty member of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences since 2012, Holtz focuses on the intersection of health communication, information communication technologies and the promotion of healthy behaviors. Within this area of focus, Holtz takes a special interest in telemedicine.
“I am particularly interested in the adoption of these technologies, the way that the technologies impact communication in health, and their use to improve health,” said Holtz.
For years Holtz has dedicated much of her research, including peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and other projects, to help improve health outcomes and individuals’ quality of life. Her most recent project incorporates these deep-seeded goals and stands as a testament to her service to the telehealth community. She is organizing and conducting a think tank to develop evidence-based recommendations and policy guidelines to promote the practical and effective implementation of telemedicine thanks to funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
Going forward, Holtz sees this fellowship as a great opportunity to expand her reach and grow her network.
“I know the recognition will help my work be more visible and I hope that it will allow for more collaborations across this space.”
As a fellow, Holtz looks forward to continuing her research where she can explore diverse facets of telehealth/telemedicine, more specifically in the integration of artificial intelligence and the influence of the arts.
But no matter where the work or the fellowship take her, “I plan to continue my work in a way that advances the field and promotes a more equitable world,” she noted.
Holtz is set to be inducted as a Class of 2024 ATA Fellow in May 2024.
Photo: Associate Professor of Advertising and Public Relations Bree Holtz with Charles Doarn, chair of the ATA selection committee.
—Casey Halas