FCC announces $400 million rural telehealth program

The Federal Communications Commission will provide $400 million to create broadband telehealth networks to expand access to health care in rural and underserved communities, the agency announced Nov. 13. The Rural Health Care Pilot Program will facilitate telemedicine programs in 42 states and three U.S. territories.

Program participants will receive funding to bolster existing telehealth networks or support up to 85% of the costs to design, engineer and construct innovative and efficient broadband systems, the agency said.

Rod Piechowski, American Hospital Association senior associate director for policy, said the connectivity the pilot program will provide was essential to realizing a nationwide health information exchange network. “You can’t exchange data without connectivity,” he said.

[ via AHA News Now ]