• Fortified Health Security Releases 2022 Mid-Year Horizon Report on the State of Cybersecurity in Healthcare

    Findings highlight industry’s progress toward adopting a security-first mindset as cyberattacks evolve and grow more sophisticated; explores key role of emerging AI/ML detection and response technologies

    FRANKLIN, Tenn. (July 18, 2022) Fortified Health Security, Healthcare’s Cybersecurity Partner®, today released the 2022 Mid-Year Horizon Report: The State of Cybersecurity in Healthcare. The report’s findings illustrate how healthcare providers, health plans and business associates must not let their guard down even though the number of reported cybersecurity breaches have leveled off after meteoric rises over the past several years. The report goes on to explore how a resilient and secure healthcare ecosystem can be achieved through the implementation of several best practices including encompassing incident response plans, penetration testing, MITRE ATT&CK®, and the continued adoption of emerging artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) detection and response technologies.

    The report leverages a comprehensive cross-section of information, expertise, and statistical analysis to highlight industry-wide trends, insights, and predictions. Horizon Reports have been published by Fortified Health Security since 2017 and are designed to help healthcare stakeholders navigate the exceedingly complex cybersecurity landscape by sharing best practices and actionable guidance.

    Significant findings from the 2022 Mid-Year Horizon Report include:

    • Malicious attacks ranked as the No. 1 cause of breaches for a sixth consecutive year, with the percentage of incidents pegged to hacking/IT incidents rising from 73% last year to 80% so far in 2022.
    • There were 337 breaches impacting 500 or more records reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the first six months of 2022.
    • Healthcare providers account for the most breaches (72%), followed by business associates (16%), and health plans (12%).

    “The healthcare industry has made progress toward adopting a security-first mindset and protecting health information and technology assets. That’s the good news,” said Dan L. Dodson, CEO of Fortified Health Security. “The not-so-good news is that the threats facing healthcare continue to evolve, grow at a faster rate, and become more sophisticated – and it’s happening at time when our industry continues to face a severe human capital shortage. However, I remain optimistic that hospitals and health systems will meet these cybersecurity issues head-on as we see the continued implementation of encompassing incident response plans, penetration testing and a growing dependence on artificial intelligence/machine learning security technologies that will undoubtedly propel cybersecurity efforts.”

    AI/ML and deep-learning technologies are transforming diagnoses and healthcare delivery. Likewise, advanced technologies that leverage AI/ML concepts are also transforming IT security services that can bring quicker threat detection and mitigation, increased productivity, and the ability to perform sophisticated tasks with fewer staff or extend the capabilities of junior security staff members. The many promising advantages these technologies bring will prove crucial to healthcare organizations confronting stiff competition for workers at a time when the healthcare industry faces a narrowing cybersecurity talent gap. According to the report:

    • Organizations that leverage AI and automation can detect and contain breaches 27% quicker than those without.
    • Organizations with no security AI/automation took an average of 239 days to identify a breach and another 85 days to contain it.
    • Organizations with fully deployed security AI/automation needed 184 days to identify the breach and 63 days to contain — the difference between nearly 11 months to find and contain a breach versus 8.2 months with AI technology.

    Earlier this year, Fortified Health Security released the 2022 Horizon Report – revealing how, as the industry continues to recover from the pandemic’s grasp, cybercriminals continued to relentlessly target and attack providers, health plans and their business associates. The report explored how federal and state regulatory agencies along with cyber insurance companies are taking notice of breaches and the increasing number of ransomware attacks in the healthcare industry, adopting comprehensive cybersecurity policies and procedures that increase compliance and mitigation costs.

    Fortified Health Security’s 2022 Mid-Year Horizon Report builds on that guidance, while aiming to predict the short-term future of cybersecurity in healthcare. The full report is available for download here.

    About Fortified Health Security

    Fortified Health Security is Healthcare’s Cybersecurity Partner® – protecting patient data and reducing risk throughout the healthcare ecosystem. As a managed security service provider, Fortified works alongside healthcare organizations to build tailored programs designed to leverage their prior security investments and current processes while implementing new solutions that reduce risk and improve their security posture over time. Fortified’s high-touch engagements and customized recommendations maximize the value of investments and result in actionable information to help reduce the risk of cyber events. The company is 100% committed to creating a stronger healthcare landscape that benefits more clients, protects more patient data, and reduces risk.

    For more information, contact [email protected], (615) 600-4002 or visit FortifiedHealthSecurity.com.

    Press contact information:
    Tom Testa
    617-872-0184
    [email protected]

    Posted 7.27.2022

  • Healthlink Advisors Welcomes New Business Development Director

    Executive brings decades of experience to high growth healthcare consulting firm

    PETERSBURG, FLA., (July 20, 2022) – Healthlink Advisors, a top-ranked healthcare consulting firm focused on improving clinical innovation, business systems and healthcare IT strategy, delivery and operations, welcomes David LaFontaine as Executive Director, Business Development. David’s deep expertise and vast network of relationships with key players in the healthcare industry will expand the team’s partnership capabilities and enhance delivery of innovative clinical and HIT solutions.

    Much of LaFontaine’s 35 years of healthcare experience has been dedicated to delivering strategic market insight, performance improvement models, and information technology solutions to healthcare organizations across North America. He possesses deep understanding of clinical and business operating models, financial management, analytics and HIT implementations. In his new role, LaFontaine will expand existing relationships and cultivate new opportunities to fuel Healthlink Advisors’ next stage of growth.

    “We are thrilled to welcome David to Healthlink Advisors and look forward to working with him to further advance sales, partnerships, and the impact we deliver to our clients,” said Lindsey Jarrell, CEO & co-founder. “Beyond David’s breadth of experience in the healthcare industry, his passion, experience, and professional accomplishments are in exact alignment with our company’s culture and core values.”

    David’s previous roles in healthcare IT have run the gamut from business development and sales leadership to project and engagement management. David began his healthcare career in sales and marketing before joining Beacon Partners (now KPMG) as a vice president, where he helped grow and shape the company’s consulting practice. Most recently, he served as a senior vice president for Navin Haffty, a Tegria company, where he oversaw business development and served on the company’s executive leadership team.

    “I’ve dedicated my career to providing insight and innovative technology solutions for healthcare, so I’m thrilled to join Healthlink Advisors, which demonstrates unwavering commitment to empowering healthcare organizations to modernize and thrive in a rapidly shifting landscape,” said David LaFontaine.

    David earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, and his MBA from Anna Maria College in Paxton, Massachusetts.

    About Healthlink Advisors

    Healthlink Advisors is a healthcare consulting firm committed to improving clinical innovation, business systems and healthcare IT strategy, delivery and operations. The company focuses on information technology and related fields within healthcare provider organizations, from academic medical centers to integrated delivery networks to community-based hospitals. Healthlink Advisors serves both investor-owned and community-owned organizations. For more information, please visit www.healthlinkadvisors.com.

    Media Contact

    Julie Kent
    Sterling Communications for Healthlink Advisors
    +1(978) 500-9030
    [email protected]

     

    Posted 7.27.2022

  • Frederick Health leads the way to faster delivery of precision medicine with MEDITECH’s Expanse Genomics

    Integration of discrete genetic results within Expanse Genomics helps Frederick Health improve patient outcomes with targeted treatments.

    Frederick, MD (July 21, 2022) Frederick Health (Frederick, MD) is one of the first organizations to automatically incorporate discrete genetic data into its clinical decision making.

    Within just a few hours of recently going LIVE with MEDITECH’s Expanse Genomics, physicians were placing orders directly into the EHR and receiving results in a codified format, along with full PDF reports.

    “What makes this solution unique is that genetic testing results are filed discreetly into the patient’s record, and clinical decision support is built into the system with continuous updates to keep information current,” said Chief Information Officer Jackie Rice.

    “We knew that having this data so easily accessible would solve many of the challenges our providers were facing with finding information quickly.”

    Frederick Health has a dedicated Precision Medicine & Genetics clinic, which is a great asset to their community. Within this clinic, they currently leverage genomics to provide treatment and counseling for oncology, hereditary diseases, and precision nutrition.

    The organization is also performing pharmacogenomic testing for their behavioral health patients in the inpatient and outpatient settings. This improves patient outcomes by getting the correct dosage the first time and preventing costly inpatient stays.

    “Genomics is enabling the delivery of predictive, proactive medical care,” said Clinical Director, Precision Medicine & Genetics Patricia Rice, CRNP. “We are rapidly approaching a point where the first step in a patient’s diagnosis will come from genetic sequencing. Fortunately, we have the tools in place to support this without overburdening our physicians.”

    The integration between Expanse Genomics and the genetic testing labs is designed to significantly streamline workflows and reduce the current 20+ minute order entry time per test. So far, Frederick Health’s ordering and resulting times have decreased by over 50%.

    Orders entered directly into the EHR are sent outbound, and inbound results automatically match with the correct patient. These results are then stored as discrete, actionable data, displayed directly in the patient charts.

    “Providers no longer need to sift through 30 pages of a .pdf document to locate relevant information on their patients,” noted CMIO Dr. Robert Wack. “And with embedded pharmacogenomic decision support from First Databank, we are always kept up to date on known genomic interactions, which improves patient safety.”

    Frederick Health currently integrates with four genetic laboratories: Foundation, Ambry, Caris, and ProGeneX. Additional integrations are planned for the system.

    “With Expanse Genomics, patients can now get the most advanced, personalized care right in their own community,” said MEDITECH Product Manager Jennifer Ford. “It has been wonderful to see how Frederick Health has been able to leverage this technology to drive care forward. It truly makes a difference to their patients.”

    Tune in to the MEDITECH Podcast to hear how genomics is likely to impact healthcare in the next decade, from Harvard-trained medical geneticist Dr. Marsha Fearing and First Databank’s Dr. Anna Dover.

    Contacts

    Rose McCarthy
    Public Relations and Media Relations Manager
    MEDITECH
    781-774-5229
    [email protected]

     

    Posted 7.27.2022

  • Hospitals Innovate Patient Experience with HCTI’s Digital Front Door Mobile App

    PLEASANTON, Calif., June 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Healthcare Triangle, Inc. (HCTI), a leading healthcare IT provider, announces the availability of the Digital Front Door mobile app solution, the kind of cutting-edge innovation that healthcare providers need to reimagine their continuum of care in a mobile-first world.  

    The evolving healthcare consumer engagement landscape has pushed healthcare technology leaders to realize the need for an effective Digital Front Door (DFD) mobile app that puts patients at the heart of the digital healthcare experience. While many healthcare providers are unsure how to get started, there has never been a more urgent need for hospitals to elevate patient engagement and deliver a differentiating experience. Keeping up with accelerated digital transformation can be daunting, but Healthcare Triangle alleviates the pressure. 

    With a 33% market share1, there are over 2,350 healthcare facilities utilizing Epic Systems2 of which over 500 are utilizing MyChart3 to help over 150 million patients4 to get and stay healthy. The data shows the rapid transformation of Epic customers to survive this disruption of innovation. We at HCTI cater to the needs of the Epic systems and help them leverage the pandemic-driven disruption of planning a robust DFD mobile app solution as an opportunity in healthcare.

    Healthcare Triangle’s feature-rich, customizable Digital Front Door mobile app enables a “Healthcare Anywhere” approach to patient engagement and is purpose-built for facilities running MyChart powered by Epic Systems. HCTI’s Digital Front Door mobile app empowers healthcare organizations to take the next step in evolving healthcare towards providing hyper-personalized patient experiences while automating several operational tasks and activities, reducing staff fatigue, and improving productivity.

    “Healthcare Triangle’s Digital Front Door mobile app takes a modern approach to healthcare, delivering digital-first, patient-centric experiences, adapting to the needs of healthcare consumers, and putting them in the front seat of their care journey,” says Suresh Venkatachari, Chairman and CEO of Healthcare Triangle. 

    HCTI’s Digital Front Door mobile app offers: 

    • Complete 360-degree view of the healthcare consumer 
    • Robust capabilities around UI/UX 
    • Integration with Epic EHR and highly configurable to suit patients’ needs 
    • Safe access to data-driven insights and personalization to support care delivery 
    • Security, compliance, and interoperability across systems 
    • 24×7 support and enhanced operational efficiency 
    • Go-live with a rich feature set in 3 months 
    • Scalable and secure solution for patient experience

    HCTI’s customized Digital Front Door meets the rising demands for better scalability, more security, quick time to market, higher performance, and easier manageability—with reduced costs. Our DFD mobile app solution further enhances patient engagement and retention with Epic MyChart. 

    “We have helped leading EPIC hospital systems embark on their digital journey with launch of customised MyChart app in a short period of 3 months. This has helped them reduce revenue leakage and improve patient interactions and experience significantly,” says Sanjay Dalwani, Chief Revenue Officer of Healthcare Triangle.

    Are you ready to unlock a better healthcare Digital Front Door? Read on to find how HCTI Digital Front Door mobile app solution provides real benefits that bring your facility to the future of healthcare. 

    1. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/ehrs/ehr-vendors-ranked-by-percentage-of-hospital-market-share.html
    2. https://www.definitivehc.com/blog/top-hospitals-using-epic-ehr
    3. https://discovery.hgdata.com/product/epic-mychart
    4 https://www.mychart.com/Help

    About Healthcare Triangle, Inc. (HCTI) 
    Healthcare Triangle, Inc. based in Pleasanton, California., reinforces healthcare progress through breakthrough technology and extensive industry knowledge and expertise. We support healthcare providers including hospitals and health systems, payers, and pharma/life sciences organizations in their effort to improve health outcomes. Healthcare Triangle achieves HITRUST Certification for Cloud and Data Platform (CaDP), marketed as CloudEz and DataEz. HITRUST Risk-based, 2-year (r2) Certified status demonstrates to our clients the highest standards for data protection and information security. Healthcare Triangle enables the adoption of new technologies, data enlightenment, business agility, and response to immediate business needs and competitive threats. The highly regulated healthcare and life sciences industries rely on Healthcare Triangle for expertise in digital transformation encompassing the cloud, security and compliance, data lifecycle management, healthcare interoperability, and clinical and business performance optimization. For more information, visit HealthcareTriangle.com.

    Healthcare Triangle, Inc. Contact:

    Michael Campana – [email protected]

     

    Posted 7.15.2022

  • Healthcare Triangle Facilitates Secure Data Sharing for Drug Discovery Through Neutral Zone

    A neutral zone for collaborative research is one that is HIPAA-compliant, prevents data leaks, and leads to new breakthroughs in drug discovery for disease targets with high unmet need.

    PLEASANTON, Calif., July 05, 2022., Healthcare Triangle Inc., (Nasdaq: HCTI) (“HCTI” or the “Company”) enables collaborative data sharing and analysis through “neutral zone”. A neutral zone for data collaborative research revolutionizes personalized medicine in healthcare and life sciences.

    From discovery of a key enzyme that makes DNA sequencing possible to discovery of a “treasure trove” of DNA clues about what causes cancer, advancements in medical science have the potential to propel personalized medicine. Key to this effort: the ability to share data—including among competitors—to fuel healthcare innovation. Now, the use of a “neutral zone”, supported by DataEz, a third-party secure data platform provider for collaborative data sharing and analysis enables organizations to work together on medical discovery without sacrificing the security of PHI.

    With a neutral zone, innovation no longer depends solely on the ability of one company to capture and analyze data. Instead, organizations partner with a third-party algorithm provider to create a secure area where AI, machine learning and other advanced algorithms may be applied to the data. It’s an approach that protects the security of the data as well as each organization’s intellectual property (IP). It also positions organizations to harness the power of patient data at scale—their own and those of data research collaborators.

    Neutral zone gives organizations the ability to allow access to specific data only to the algorithm that will analyze the data for research. The data are essentially “shared but sealed.” The raw data are never disclosed, and data owners can control which portions of a data set are used and how they are used.

    “This provides pharmaceutical and bio-science companies to access and share data in a secure environment for purposes of personalized medicine research and drug discovery. It paves way for faster, more accurate analysis of disease and personalized treatment, and improved understanding of complex conditions,” says Suresh Venkatachari, CEO of Healthcare Triangle.

    At a time when 70% of decision makers for data and data analytics are expanding their use of external data, with another 17% planning to do so by the end of 2022 (according to Forrester report), a neutral zone supports access to a broad range of data—from real-world evidence to information from clinical trials—as well as data science capabilities in days rather than months. This accelerates personalized medicine. Additional benefits include:

    • Increased ease in establishing a foundation for cloud-based research
    • Enhanced compliance with HIPAA, HITRUST, and more
    • Greater flexibility and agility in establishing short-term and long-term partnership arrangements for healthcare discovery

    “There is a need in the market for a third-party organization to be the ‘glue’ that brings the other parties together for collaborative research and analysis in a neutral environment. These organizations are not interested in each other’s data. They are interested in the insights that can be gained by pooling their data for AI analysis. That’s the value of a neutral zone engineered on DataEz platform,” says Anand Kumar, Senior Vice President – Head of Cloud Solutions, Healthcare Triangle.

    Here’s how a neutral zone for data collaborative research and sharing is accelerating personalized medicine in healthcare and life sciences:

      • 1. Sets the stage for collaborative research without sacrificing security of IP or PHI
      • 2. Establishes a reliable data engineering infrastructure for innovation
      • 3. Speeds up decentralization and industrialization of clinical trials

    Want to learn more about ways to advance data collaboration and research in life sciences and healthcare organizations using a neutral zone? Our whitepaper on “Life Sciences Data Collaboration Is Accelerating. Why a ‘Neutral Zone’ Should Be Top of Mind” provides further insights.

    About Healthcare Triangle, Inc. (HCTI)

    Healthcare Triangle, Inc. based in Pleasanton, California., reinforces healthcare progress through breakthrough technology and extensive industry knowledge and expertise. We support healthcare providers including hospitals and health systems, payers, and pharma/life sciences organizations in their effort to improve health outcomes. Healthcare Triangle achieves HITRUST Certification for Cloud and Data Platform (CaDP), marketed as CloudEz and DataEz. HITRUST Risk-based, 2-year (r2) Certified status demonstrates to our clients the highest standards for data protection and information security. Healthcare Triangle enables the adoption of new technologies, data enlightenment, business agility, and response to immediate business needs and competitive threats. The highly regulated healthcare and life sciences industries rely on Healthcare Triangle for expertise in digital transformation encompassing the cloud, security and compliance, data lifecycle management, healthcare interoperability, and clinical and business performance optimization. For more information, visit HealthcareTriangle.com.

    Healthcare Triangle, Inc. Contact:
    Michael Campana – [email protected]

     

    Posted 7.15.2022

  • UST Strengthens Presence in the Health Tech Sector with Strategic Investment in Israeli SaaS Start-up Well-Beat

    Innovative new digital patient engagement solution allows for dynamic personalization and improved outcomes

    ALISO VIEJO, Calif. and TEL AVIV, Israel, May 31, 2022 – UST, a leading digital transformation solutions company has announced that it will strengthen its presence in the healthcare technology market with a strategic investment in Well-Beat, a pioneering Israeli start-up that adds a human touch to healthcare through patient-centered behavioral AI. The investment in Well-Beat is the latest example of UST accelerating the adoption of emerging tech solutions in healthcare and transforming lives through the power of technology.

    By investing in Well-Beat, UST is helping to bring one of the success stories of the innovative Israel start-up tech ecosystem to a wider global market. Combining the size and scale of UST with the agility of Well-Beat, this strategic investment will put digital transformation to work for patients at a time when healthcare delivery systems are strained and intelligent patient engagement is increasingly critical.

    “At UST we work with academia, innovators and entrepreneurs from across the global start-up community to bring the very best transformational solutions to market. However, we only directly invest in less than one percent of our partnerships – those that represent the best of the best in emerging health tech. Well-Beat has earned its reputation as a successful innovator in the rapidly evolving HealthTech space, and we’re thrilled to offer a platform which empowers them to continue their groundbreaking work”, said Sunil Kanchi, Chief Information Officer & Chief Investment Officer, UST.

    UST, together with Well-Beat, created a first-of-its-kind digital patient engagement Software as a Service (SaaS) solution that dynamically adapts to each individual patient over time, delivers personalized conversational guidelines to the clinician at the point of care, offers customized prompts that are shaped by the profile of each individual patient and helps deliver direct and indirect behaviorally guided motivational nudges to patients based on over 1,400 unique factors.

    Utilizing information gathered through medical records, connected devices and short patient surveys, Well-Beat’s technology dynamically adapts patient communication to provide intelligent interventions and highly customized experiences. Furthermore, this latest patient engagement solution designed in collaboration with UST is able to seamlessly operate within the existing health tech ecosystem of any healthcare delivery organization. This includes working with electronic health record (EHR) systems, public cloud providers, patient registries and existing wellness or care management applications.

    Capable of operating without mandating changes to existing workflows or onboarding to a new platform, this dynamically personalized digital patient engagement solution is designed to help healthcare organizations achieve greater returns on their existing IT investments as well as achieve higher response rates and better engagement through their existing communication channels.

    “As healthcare transitions outside the four walls of the hospital, the behavioral AI powered patient engagement solution that UST has built with Well-Beat enables healthcare organizations to effectively engage high-risk patients – resulting in improved care outcomes,” said Raj Gorla, Chief Executive Officer, UST ContineoHealth.

    “Well-Beat is excited about strengthening our relationship with UST. The increased collaboration and ability to leverage UST’s vast experience and resources will help us continue to deliver personalized patient outreach,” said Ravit Ram Bar-Dea, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Well-Beat. “We feel that UST’s leadership and expertise across the entire healthcare technology ecosystem and continuum is tailor-made to complement our strengths as we look to bring new products to market.”

     

    About UST:

    For more than 22 years, UST has worked side by side with the world’s best companies to make a real impact through transformation. Powered by technology, inspired by people, and led by our purpose, we partner with our clients from design to operation. Through our nimble approach, we identify their core challenges, and craft disruptive solutions that bring their vision to life. With deep domain expertise and a future-proof philosophy, we embed innovation and agility into our clients’ organizations—delivering measurable value and lasting change across industries, and around the world. Together, with over 29,000 employees in 30+ countries, we build for boundless impact—touching billions of lives in the process. Visit us at www.UST.com 

    About Well-Beat:

    Well-Beat provides a next-generation patient behavioral change solution, based on human behavior, expert understanding and proprietary data-driven technology. At its core, the solution empowers healthcare providers and organizations to dramatically increase patient engagement and treatment regime adherence. 

    The company’s mission is to bring humanity to healthcare through raising the level of engagement and personal responsibility of patients to their health and wellness regime. By incorporating Well-Beat insights into their daily practices, healthcare providers can generate more effective face-to-face meetings with patients, along with digital intelligent interventions, to ultimately provide the most suitable wellness program and approach for each patient. Through adjustment of personalized interactions to every patient, Well-Beat enables healthcare organizations to boost their operational efficiency, increase revenues and reduce long-term healthcare costs, while maintaining the level of treatment. Learn more at https://www.well-beat.com/

    Media Contacts, UST:
    Tinu Cherian Abraham
    +1 (949) 415-9857

    Merrick Laravea
    +1 (949) 416-6212

    Neha Misri
    +91-9972631264 
    [email protected]

    Media Contacts, U.S.:
    S&C PR
    +1-646.941.9139
    [email protected]

    Media Contacts, U.K.:
    FTI Consulting
    [email protected]

    SOURCE UST

     

    Posted 7.8.2022

  • Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Broadband Program with Cletis Earle

    Lauren Cameron, CHIME’s Public Policy Coordinator, interviewed Cletis Earle, CIO of Penn State Health, member of CHIME’s Public Policy Steering Committee, and former board chair, on a new federal program making broadband more accessible to underserved Americans.

    Today we will be discussing the Affordable Connectivity Program, a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) benefits program created to help households afford the staple broadband they need for school, work, health care, and more.

    This benefit provides up to $30 per month towards internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands. In addition, eligible households may qualify for a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 towards the purchase price.

    We also have a one-page cheat on the program with resource links, program eligibility, and where to apply for the program. So first, Cletis, thank you for taking the time to join us and answer a few questions about this important new program.

    Earle: Thanks for having me, Lauren. Appreciate it. And looking forward to a great conversation.

    Sounds good. So first, I’d like to ask how you first heard about the Affordable Connectivity Program?

    Earle: Yeah, that’s a great question. I first heard about the program through some just reviewing. I’m taking a class and some studies, and I was able to come across this program by looking into the infrastructure bill that was passed in November of 2021, so knowing that there was hundreds of billions of dollars, I believe a little over a billion to a trillion dollars, I was really trying to figure out what were the elements associated to technology and digging deeper. So I was able to understand some of the elements from the infrastructure bill and what was put into law. But when we introduced it to CHIME, I actually got to learn even more by you all putting together the cheat sheet. So being able to refer to the exact elements of the bill was extremely helpful from what CHIME was able to put together. Particularly you, so thank you to you and Mari.

    I’m glad that the cheat sheet was helpful.

    Earle: It was, thank you.

    No problem. So looking towards trends in the health and public health sector and the pandemic, increasing the need and push for telemedicine access, what challenges have you noticed, particularly in access and equity?

    Earle: Yeah, so there’s a few pieces around equity that I think it’s extremely relevant in how this program is going to help. As an example, we’ve noticed when the pandemic first came about, and we went into lockdown period, we did see that there was a significant amount of students that did not have access to the internet or technology. The teachers called it, a great concern, as there were potentially millions of students that have lost time in as far as training and education. So there is one element there. And then there was another component, the healthcare component, that it did not provide by not having internet. And as the various services were shut down during the pandemic, the health care element went to virtual care. We basically started to see patients virtually, all that’s good for those who have access to the internet and technology, but for those who don’t have access to the internet and technology, there were severe gaps. And we know that where there’s the potential concerns on mammograms and others, there is a significant population of patients that may now have some challenges because they were not able to be seen or cared for during that time—major concerns around cancer care and other treatment areas during the pandemic. There’s a lot of catch-up so I think that putting technology in place, this is the new social determinant. Technology and access to data and information will be the new social determinant to look out for to help.

    Right, that’s a good point that the pandemic and the public health emergency, really just put a magnifying glass to some of the divides that were underlying in terms of access and care.

    Earle: The great digital divide. You’re absolutely right, exactly.

    How do you think this program in partnership with some of the nation’s largest Internet providers like XFINITY and spectrum, etc, will help to close that broadband access gap? Or how could we go further? And how could policy address as we were talking about the digital divide?

    Earle: Yes. For those who are fortunate to be in a region that has these major carriers and service providers, it would be a definite advantage for those that are in the inequity component. They’ll have access and it’s targeting specific populations, including the Native American population. When there is a potential need, the companies are subsidizing the internet service package as well, so that the dollars that are going to be provided from the federal government will be able to cover internet as a whole. It’s a great combination of public-private partnership, to allow for a price point that is acceptable, so that broadband is accessible for these populations. And it’s very good to see that on the component of technology—the price point drop of PCs, or tablets, or smartphones, with the Chromebooks that are out there—we’re really talking about a much lower price point if you’re particularly looking at cloud service solutions that are out there and made accessible. I do believe it’s going to go a long way, particularly for access, but I do think there’s more to come, particularly when you’re dealing with productivity components and productivity tools. I think there’s a huge benefit to the population in the future. And then having access to that data is going to be much more relevant in the very near future once people start using it.

    That’s a great point. And we still have a long way to go. But this is a great start. And not only getting people connected and having that connectivity. Thank you again, Cletis, for your time and help in breaking down this program and getting the word out about this great resource.

    Earle: I’m just excited that we’re here and the efforts to really promote this. I look at this from communities that we serve—many people don’t know of these programs that are out there and being able to tap in so I’m hoping that our effort to get it out to the public to let them know that this is available. For the last 20 years there’s been a significant amount of programs around getting Internet access to diverse communities and there has been significant challenges of actually accomplishing it. This time, this is something that’s relatively simple. It’s not unnecessary, a hurdle that has been put up in front of us so I do believe that we have to deal with it now. For the communities that are not partnered with those carriers, there’s still some work to be done. There’s other communities that we’re going to have to target and continue to work on so that we can push this information out, and be able to get them to have that kind of access. So really, truly bridging the digital divide.

    Posted 7.7.2022