Telehealth
USDA Announces Funding to Increase Access to Education, Workforce Training and Health Care Opportunities in Rural Communities
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that the US Department of Agriculture is awarding grants for 128 projects to increase access to job training, educational and health care services in rural areas. USDA is awarding $39.6 million through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant Program. More than 4.5 million residents in 40 states and three territories will benefit from the funding. Investments include:
Welcome & Intros: Congressman Rick Boucher, IIA Honorary Chairman
SESSION 1: Policy Prescription to Advance Telemedicine
Panel moderated by Dr. Karen Rheuban, Medical Director, Office of Telemedicine and Pediatrics, University of Virginia School of Health
A conference call open to all Tribal governments, members and organizations to provide an overview of and answer questions about a Notice of Inquiry seeking comment on creating an experimental “Connected Care Pilot Program” to support the delivery of telehealth services to low-income Americans through universal service fund support.
Broadband connectivity is critical for many reasons, including access to quality healthcare. From remote patient monitoring to mobile health applications accessed via smartphones, tablets, or other devices, advances in telemedicine and telehealth technologies have impacted patient care and health outcomes far away from hospitals and doctors’ offices. Connected-care services significantly reduce economic and administrative costs for patients and healthcare providers.
3 Steps to Advancing Telehealth Networks
Telehealth vendors have the frustrating experience of seeing their best efforts to serve rural populations thwarted by pathetic broadband connections. Or worse, no broadband at all. At least vendors and healthcare facilities have the benefit of serving urban areas because there, the broadband is always good. Or is it? Urban broadband availability is still a problem. Cities suffer from the legacy of broadband’s origins. Three steps to advancing telehealth networks:
Chairman Pai Discusses FCC's Telehealth Work at Boston Conference
I'd like to share what we are doing at the Federal Communications Commission to seize the opportunities of connected health.
FCC Seeks Comment on Promoting Broadband Service for Veterans
In this Public Notice, as required by the RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks information and data for the Federal Communications Commission’s report on promoting broadband Internet access service for veterans. Section 504 of the RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018 directs the Commission to, within one year, “submit to Congress a report on promoting broadband Internet access service for veterans, in particular low income veterans and veterans residing in rural areas” and “provide the public with notice and an opportunity to comment” in preparing the report.
Sen Hassan (D-NH) Leads Colleagues in Urging FCC to Maintain Focus on Maternal Health in Telehealth Pilot Program
Sen Maggie Hassan (D-NH) led a group of her colleagues from the Commerce Committee in urging Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to maintain focus on maternal health as the Commission moves forward with its proposed Connected Care pilot program. This pilot would support access to care using telehealth. The letter comes after the FCC released a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) on supporting access to health care through telehealth in the Connected Care pilot program.
Chattanooga's Broadband Investment Opens the Door to Telehealth
Chattanooga (TN) has the fastest internet in the United States. Why is that? The Electric Power Board of Chattanooga, the city’s municipally owned telecom and utilities provider, has invested heavily in fiber-optic network infrastructure, delivering 1-gigabit-per-second connections. That has enabled residents to access superfast broadband services, but it could also spur the deployment of new services, including telehealth. The city is actively exploring the idea of delivering telehealth services to residents who subscribe to EPB broadband services.
Chairman Pai visits with Utah veteran program to talk telehealth
Alethea Varra is the director of National Tele-Mental Health Hub continental region who said “our providers are giving this care to people who would not be getting it otherwise.” It’s a network of 29 clinicians providing online care to veterans. The program needs high-speed internet to work. On Aug 23, Varra met with Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to talk about broadband speeds in some of the most remote areas in Utah.