Mignon Clyburn
In a December 3rd town-hall style meeting at Jackson State University, Jackson, Miss, FCC commissioner Mignon Clyburn described the agency’s efforts to promote the growth of telehealth. According to Clyburn, the FCC’s Connect2Health Task Force is seeking “new and innovative partnerships with broadband” communications providers to bring health care services into the home.
The Mississippi location of the meeting reflected the potential of telehealth to improve healthcare in rural settings, as noted by another speaker, Kristi Henderson, chief telehealth and innovation officer for University of Mississippi Medical Center. Henderson said that the “phone that you carry in your hand can help you connect to health care,” and that Mississippi is currently leading the nation in Internet-assisted care. “No more do you have to drive to health care,” she said, for routine health consultations.
Clyburn said that the FCC offers infrastructure support for communities to build “telehealth.” She urged the public and public officials to see the FCC’s website: http://www.fcc.gov/health.
