FCC Finds Gaps in the Current Broadband Infrastructure and Proposes a National Broadband Plan

FCC SHOWCASES HEALTH CARE WORKING RECOMMENDATIONS IN UPCOMING NATIONAL BROADBAND PLAN

Includes discussion of connectivity issues that hinder the adoption of Health IT and the transformation of the Rural Health Program to address them

Washington, D.C. – March 2, 2010 – Broadband will play an increasingly important role in supporting health care delivery in the United States. However, the country’s existing broadband infrastructure, reimbursement policies, and regulations inhibit the meaningful use of health information technology to advance health outcomes and lower costs.

A National Broadband Plan being developed by the Federal Communications Commission includes many working recommendations for addressing these shortfalls. With the deadline for delivering the Plan to Congress just two weeks away, the National Broadband Plan’s Health Care Director, Dr. Mohit Kaushal, discussed many of the working recommendations at the HIMSS10 - Healthcare IT Conference and Exhibition” conference on March 2 for the first time.

As part of the announcement, Dr. Kaushal detailed how the FCC is re-vamping its $400M a year Rural Health Care Program to play a critical role in closing the broadband connectivity gap for health care providers while aligning the Commissions efforts with the emerging “meaningful use” criteria being developed at HHS. Dr.  Kaushal explained that the FCC will seek to implement recommendations promptly after the Plan is conveyed to Congress