Gigabit Nation cjspeaks

The telehealth wave is making its mark in rural communities as well. When you live two and three hours away from the nearest doctor or healthcare facility, telehealth can be a godsend.

Matt Larsen, owner of 20-year-old Wireless ISP (WISP) Vistabeam in Nebraska, says you can’t just lay down some fiber and routers, and call this a broadband success. You need leading-edge applications as well. Rural areas often lack the human and tech resources necessary for broadband to thrive. So Vistabeam is designing Community Empowerment Centers to offer communities:
private Telehealth Consultation rooms;full-time Digital Navigators and reception area;digital skills and telehealth training; andInventory Rooms with shared computing devices and equipment.
Socia and Larsen will give our Gigabit Nation audience tips and recommendations you can use right away.

[Here are the complete interviews of Deb and Matt that were interrupted by a system crash]

Two long-time broadband experts explain how to boost broadband adoption in their communities by integrating telehealth in their digital strategy. These are early pioneers of broadband-telehealth integration.

first the trash is Chattanooga. This city was the first to have border-to-border gigabit service available to everyone. Now they're setting the pace with telehealth.

1,000 free telehealth appointments are coming to one of the lowest income communities in Chattanooga, TN, plus home Internet access, new Chromebooks, and training. President and CEO Deb Socia of The Enterprise Center discusses the city’s digital intervention that will help residents who are susceptible to high incidences of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and asthma. Chattanooga’s public gigabit network plays a key role in the telehealth delivery.

Get more impact from your communities broadband planning, listen to tips for increasing Affordability Connectivity Program (ACP) adoption, and meet winners who are making a difference in their digital communities.

Two digital justice warriors share with Gigabit Nation secrets of their success at getting residents connected to broadband, digital inclusion, and telehealth.

Rebecca F. Kauma is Digital Equity & Inclusion Officer for the City of Long Beach, CA. She is having great success making sure that everyone has a voice in the needs assessments and planning activities. Elizabeth Ramirez is the Community Digital Navigator for ACP in Waukegan, IL. In the last 60 days she engaged 230 households. 33% completing enrollment, while another 34% are approved for ACP and choosing their ISP.

Kauma uses a “collective impact approach” in which her team goes deep inside of communities, engages groups within communities, and once everyone is convened, Kauma ensures everyone has an equal voice. Ramirez and ConnectWaukegan do extensive data analysis of their outreach efforts, who they connect with, and measure time and money saved.

 

Today’s Gigabit Nation helps you build winning partnerships for the long-haul.  Whether it’s a wireless infrastructure covering miles or digital inclusion projects involving anchors institutions, communities are best served by suppliers who view the relationship has a partnership not a “get it and go” transaction.

What question has you stumped? How do you find partnerships that are right for your community? Ask the right questions from the beginning. How do you know if it’s time to “cut bait” and move on? Understand why a pilot project can be the best thing for communities and suppliers. 

Are digital warriors for today are:

JJ McGrath is CEO (“Chief Everything Officer”) of TekWav, a wireless ISP (WISP). He has has more than 20 years of experience in Information Technology. TexWav has deep roots in the community and operates under the philosophy of, offer the quality of a larger company and deliver personalized service and support of a locally-owned business.

Diane Connery is Director of the Pottsboro Public Library and who’s motto is, “Opportunity Out of Adversity.” Connery raised grant money to build one of the first library telehealth centers. She and the community started a community garden, got cargo bicycles so patrons could get to the grocery store and started 100 individual garden beds.

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Get info about telehealth deployservices that help save lives, reduce cost, and improve efficiency of public health.

Gigabit Nation today explores how broadband can impact the Black Rural South. 38% of African Americans in this area lack broadband because the barriers to the technology are significant and deserve attention. Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies’ recent report lays out opportunities and policy changes that can turned around these residents’ broadband situation.

And as billions flow, urban communities should scope out the tech that drives healthcare delivery! Particularly exciting are telehealth,Internet of Things (IoT) and smart home automation platforms. These technologies can make a difference for the 14 million homes that lack Internet access and digital tools, 75% of which are African Americans and people of color.

Today's digital equity warriors are:

Dominique Harrison, PhD, the Director of Technology Policy at the Joint Center’s Technology Policy Program. She recently published “Affordability & Availability: Expanding Broadband In the Black Rural South”. Dr. Harrison details how broadband can increase economic, educational, and healthcare opportunities in these 152 rural counties with populations that are at least 35 percent Black.

Brigitte Daniel CEO of Wilco Electronic Systems, had a family emergency and wasn't able to participate in today's interview . We are re-scheduling her for an interview in maybe 2-3 weeks. 

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Get info about telehealth deployservices that help save lives, reduce cost, and improve efficiency of public health.

Today's episode salutes those communities that have taken the reins of their broadband or digital inclusion efforts! When leading local pols are disinterested or the state or federal governments are too restrictive, that’s when unofficial leaders rise up and lead successful projects. Here’s how you do it.

And you don’t have to be Dr. “Bones” McCoy to launch winning telehealth in support of public effort either, but you do have to be good at developing partnerships that include competent healthcare talent. Libraries, barbershops, churches or other community organizations can lay the ground work for teams. Telehealth means more than just video chats with doctors.

Today’s digital equity warriors are:

Peter Caplan is Managing Consultant at the eHealth Systems & Solutions firm where he designs and manages telemedicine projects as well as conduct health IT and sustainable business planning for hospitals and physician group practices. Created a comprehensive telemedicine master plan for the Department of Internal Medicine at Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY

A quarter of Detroit residents has no Internet through home computers, laptops or mobile devices. Joshua Edmonds is the City’s Director of Digital Inclusion and creator of Connect 313 – the city’s sustainable digital inclusion strategy to bridge the digital divide. Forbes, the FCC, Next Century Cities, and Government Technology have recognized Edmonds for his contributions.

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Get info about telehealth deployservices that help save lives, reduce cost, and improve efficiency of public health.