Chairman Pai: Connectivity main obstacle of telemedicine

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai addressed barriers to high-speed connectivity in western Colorado and stuck to his post-network neutrality guns during a visit to St. Mary's Medical Center. Chairman Pai held a closed-door meeting with hospital leaders as part of a national tour to discuss how his agency relates to technology needed by rural hospitals that want to embrace telemedicine. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Pai said, from the FCC's viewpoint, connectivity remains the biggest hurdle to a serious move toward widespread use of telemedicine. "The telemedicine application is only as strong as the digital connections between communities," said Pai. He pointed to the FCC's recent infusion of funds into its Rural Health Care Program, which provides funds to some health care providers for broadband and telecommunications services. He also said he is aiming to eliminate outdated FCC rules and encourage competition among internet service providers. "We want to make sure these companies have a strong incentive to upgrade to fiber, especially in these rural communities that need high-capacity internet access," Pai said.