Most states are now working to award their BEAD infrastructure allocations, with $42.5 billion spread across all states and territories to (hopefully) address the supply side of the “digital divide” once and for all.
Once the BEAD awards are complete, states will most likely proceed with their Digital Equity Capacity grants. While this program is significantly smaller ($811 million), it is arguably more important for longer-term economic outcomes, with research suggesting that broadband adoption and productive use is more closely linked to economic development than is simple infrastructure availability.
As organizations begin to plan for this Digital Equity work, they should consider a piece of the broader puzzle that is growing in importance: Telehealth.
Telehealth is defined as the use of technology to deliver healthcare services across the spectrum of care over distance. It can include assessment (such as interacting with a primary care physician over Zoom or just a simple phone call); diagnosis (a dermatologist reviewing images / video of a skin condition); and management of patients (remote monitoring activities such as blood pressure or heartbeats). While many people became familiar with telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is still work to be done in terms of educating individuals about its benefits and helping them connect with health care professionals in this way.
This type of work emphasizes the “Advance” section of the NDEET’s Digital Access Continuum – it focuses on using broadband services to advance quality of life outcomes.
Thankfully, there are plenty of materials readily available that can help those working in Digital Equity with the telehealth angle. For example:
- Getting Started with Telehealth: 4 activities, 39-minute course designed for beginners that can either be taken by learners directly or in a workshop-style class. The program was designed by Heartland Forward and focuses on elements like navigating patient portals and what to expect during a telehealth visit.
- Guide for Patients: Telehealth (Health & Human Services): Website with interactive links and videos on topics like, “Why Use Telehealth?,” “How Do I Pay for Telehealth?,” and “What Should I Know Before My Telehealth Visit?”
- Telehealth Resource Centers offer a wide array of information (including courses, webinars, and guidelines) for those new to telehealth
- The American Telehealth Association includes information on basic telehealth taxonomy and also detailed webinars and podcasts on specific topics that may be of interest.
Some states have partnered with local libraries on this topic. For example, Oklahoma State Cooperative Extension Service used state funds from the American Recovery Plan Act to place soundproof booths in three rural libraries across the state, complete with UV sanitation and linked devices like blood pressure cuffs and otoscopes that can transfer data immediately to physicians in other locations.
There are also potential linkages with programs like Project ECHO which creates “communities of learners” by using a hub-and-spoke approach where medical experts lead virtual clinics to enhance local capacity and deliver improved care in underserved areas. This approach has been shown to be particularly effective for topics like diabetes care.
As digital equity programs begin to unfold, there are ample opportunities for those working in this area to embrace telehealth as part of the information that they distribute to individuals that are relatively new to the world of broadband.
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