FCC's Broadband Health Project Readying Report

"Disconnectivity" -- and specifically its locations -- has emerged as a major hurdle as the "Connect2HealthFCC" project prepares to submit its report within coming weeks. Karen Onyeije, a Federal Communications Commission associate general counsel and chief of staff for the Connect2HealthFCC Task Force, said that she hopes the group's final report and recommendations can be presented in early January, pending approvals.

In remarks to the annual Connected Health Conference in suburban Washington Dec. 11-14, Onyeije described the initial findings of the two-year-old study, which is intended to find "a new way of analyzing the intersection of broadband and health." At the core of the examination is a mapping process that identifies how broadband infrastructure (or the lack of it -- mainly in rural areas) and health needs coincide around the country. Working with other agencies, the Task Force is seeking to identify the types of telemedical services that could be developed.