Commissioner Clyburn at the FCC-Mayo Clinic Broadband Health Summit

Earlier, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler spoke about the impact of infrastructure networks and the potential of broadband networks to enable integrated, collaborative and comprehensive “smart” health systems. As important as these future systems could be, the Chairman and I do not believe them to be the goal. Said another way, it is not about the systems, but rather, how these systems empower consumers.

Broadband can serve as a bridge between this expanding chasm of diminishing resources and increasing need. Not only can it serve to connect needs to resources, but by interconnecting systems, broadband can be a force-multiplier to achieve positive health outcomes. Bottom line -- “smart” health systems enabled by robust wired and wireless broadband networks could significantly improve consumer health management and care giving experiences and usher in an era of “smart care” which today is simply not possible.