Healthcare Access in Rural Areas Broadens as Businesses and Government Pursue Bridge Connectivity Shortfalls
In an effort to bridge the digital divide and improve healthcare access in rural America, the Microsoft Airband Initiative and the Connected Care Pilot Program are working together to expand broadband infrastructure and telehealth services.
The Microsoft Airband Initiative, a five-year plan, aims to connect 23.4 million rural Americans by 2022. The initiative utilises TV white space technology to improve rural connectivity, a significant contribution to the ongoing efforts to expand telehealth access in rural America. Microsoft has awarded an Airband Grant Fund to a telehealth company, Numbers4Health, to expand rural telehealth access in three states.
Numbers4Health, based in Maine, is working to improve healthcare outcomes in rural areas through the deployment of its telehealth solution. The company started by providing telehealth services to schools and is now expanding to other venues. Shelley McKinley, Microsoft's head of technology and corporate responsibility, stated that Numbers4Health's use of innovative technologies will help improve healthcare access in Maine.
Telehealth offers significant benefits to rural communities, providing access to specialists and primary care for those far from healthcare providers. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr stated that technology can now deliver care directly to patients through remote patient monitoring and mobile health apps. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel called for a revamp in broadband standards to match the speeds necessary for telemedicine, suggesting a minimum of 100 megabits per second.
The U.S. government has approved $100 million in funding for a program aimed at building telemedicine access for underserved patients in rural areas. The Connected Care Pilot Program, approved unanimously, will work alongside improved funding for the Rural Health Care Program to build out telecommunication infrastructure. This program aims to enhance broadband connectivity to support telehealth adoption, reducing barriers caused by limited internet access in rural and underserved communities.
The Microsoft Airband Initiative partners with local Internet Service Providers and electric cooperatives to extend wireless broadband to hard-to-reach rural homes, thus enabling better telehealth connectivity. Numbers4Health is working with internet service providers to deploy a solution that supports telemedicine and improves healthcare outcomes in rural Maine.
Connect Americans Now, a consortium of businesses and advocacy organizations, has proposed working with the FCC to enable broadband connectivity using the TV white spaces spectrum. This collaboration could further boost the efforts to expand telehealth access in rural America.
Reliable, high-speed connectivity is a major barrier to the expansion of telehealth in rural regions. By expanding broadband coverage and supporting telehealth infrastructure, the Connected Care Pilot Program and Microsoft Airband Initiative help overcome rural healthcare access barriers, facilitating timely medical consultation and potentially reducing hospital strain and travel burdens for rural residents.
Community-centered efforts such as pilot telehealth access points in libraries and virtual nursing programs demonstrate the practical impact when adequate connectivity is established. Enhanced broadband allows rural clinics, hospitals, and patients to connect with specialists and virtual care platforms, improving access, quality, and affordability of care.
In summary, the Microsoft Airband Initiative and the Connected Care Pilot Program are playing a crucial role in expanding telehealth access in rural America. By working together, these programs are helping to bridge the digital divide, improve healthcare outcomes, and reduce travel burdens for rural residents.
Telehealth's expansion in rural America is being aided by the Microsoft Airband Initiative, which is using technology to improve rural connectivity and is awarding grants to telehealth companies like Numbers4Health to increase health-and-wellness services in underserved communities. The Numbers4Health telehealth solution, utilizing innovative technology, is aiming to improve health outcomes in rural areas through partnerships with internet service providers and deployment in various venues.
