Pennsylvania broadband network slated as health data conduit

A broadband network planned for Pennsylvania may become a key conduit for health information in the state. Earlier this month, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded a $99.6 million fBroadband Technology Opportunities Program grant to the Keystone Initiative for Network-Based Education and Research (KINBER). The funding, along with $29 million in private investment, will be used to build the Pennsylvania Research and Education Network (PennREN). Upon completion, the fiber-optic cable network will stretch about 1,700 miles through 39 counties, according to KINBER, a coalition of education, research, healthcare and economic development organizations.