While most people associate telemedicine with remote patient monitoring, videoconferencing, and health records, there is an exciting new use for broadband-based health care called "tele-mental health."
Investment in broadband positively drives economic development worldwide, according to a new report by the Broadband Commission for Digital Development. The report reviews nearly a hundred research reports and case studies on the economic effect of broadband Internet access, and concludes that the outcomes are overwhelmingly positive.
The federal government's Rural Health Information Technology Network announced a $12 million grant program to help physicians and hospitals in rural areas implement electronic health records (EHRs). Eligible applicants include Native American tribal governments and 501(3)(c) nonprofit organizations.
As more doctors and hospitals adopt electronic health records (EHR), federal incentive payments facilitate the switch to smarter health IT. The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allocated $27 billion dollars in EHR incentives.
The Department of Defense (DoD) is preparing an implementation timeline for an electronic health care system for DoD and the Veterans Administration. Due to the Defense Secretary in May, the report will lay out milestones and plans.
The health industry's gradual shift toward telehealth technology is helping connect health professionals with patients around the country, elevating the quality of care to a new level. Global health leaders see telehealth as the best hope for bringing about a more collaborative and cost-efficient health environment, according to a recent CISCO and Princeton Survey Research Associates International survey.
Personal Health Records (PHR) have been on the rise in the United States as a means of easily accessing and coordinating health information. Growing in popularity, such records are part of a broader health IT movement that simplifies health care for patients and care providers alike.
As health IT adoption grows, a new bill introduced by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) will help expand electronic health record (EHR) incentive programs to mental health workers and facilities.
Recent research shows that electronic medical records and broadband-enabled medical care improve the quality and efficiency of health care. A recent literature review conducted by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) found that 92 percent of academic articles written between July 2007 and February 2010 documented the positive impact of health IT.
For Americans with chronic health issues, including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart and lung conditions, and cancer, the Internet has become a lifeline to communities of support.
