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Helping Government to Redefine Health Care
Access to high quality health care plays a huge role in defining a community, and even a state. Particularly here in Oregon. Public health and safety impacts our ability to attract and retain successful businesses, which translates to successful residents and a stable economic base. Ideally, that success should be as readily available in Gervais and Mitchell as it is in our urban centers.
OHN: LAYING THE FOUNDATION
As the fifth largest recipient of the FCC’s Rural Health Care Pilot Program (RHCPP), OHN is specifically helping Oregon’s state and local governments through the RHCPP’s $20.2 million federal subsidy. With this unprecedented investment in our State’s broadband infrastructure (foundation), OHN is helping to improve and enhance healthcare education and healthcare service availability and delivery to communities throughout Oregon.
With 85% of the installation and monthly recurring costs covered by the FCC’s Universal Service Fund; the State of Oregon, as well as, local governments and agencies will experience the following as a result of this new broadband telecommunications infrastructure:
- Increased capacity, access and utilization of healthcare services by hospitals, clinics, and community colleges throughout Oregon
- Reduced broadband infrastructure investment costs for urban and rural communities required to improve the quality of care and workforce education
- Improved state-wide access to healthcare, workforce education and degree programs to increase the number of healthcare workers needed to meet Oregon’s unmet and expanding needs
- Reduced cost of high-quality health care services in rural Oregon
- Improved foundation for economic development in Oregon’s rural communities
- Improved interagency communication; improving the quality and effectiveness of federal and state services
THE OREGON HEALTH NETWORK
Bringing high-speed broadband and telehealth capabilities to all health care providers, workforce education facilities, government agencies and payers, the Oregon Health Network (OHN) is committed to making quality care available to every patient regardless of their location. Being a participant in this groundbreaking development will provide multiple benefits to clinics statewide:
BECOMING AN OHN MEMBER PARTICIPANT
As a member, our valued government and agencies will have a seat at the table as we shape the future of OHN. We need to count every major healthcare, public safety, workforce development and emergency management agency in Oregon as a member in order to maximize the potential of the network. Can we count you in?
Contact us today to learn more about the Oregon Health Network and the opportunities it can provide your agency or program.
FCC Seeks Public Comment for Changes to National Broadband Plan
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced it is making changes to the National Broadband Plan, which is designed to assist thousands of health providers at hospitals and clinics in the U.S. who lack adequate broadband access and capability. The announcement, made July 15, begins a 30-day open window for public comment. Comments can be sent to: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW; Washington, DC 20554 or via email, fccinfo@fcc.gov.
To view a video of the Open Commission meeting in its entirety, click here.
Updates to the FCC’s National Broadband Plan include the development of a permanent $400 million fund to further broadband infrastructure and build out of health information capabilities in rural areas. This financial support is an additional funding opportunity, outside of the current Rural Health Care Pilot Program (RHCPP) of which Oregon Health Network (OHN) manages for the state, and the standard Rural Health Care Program (RHC).
FCC Extends RHCPP Deadline by 1 Year or 6/30/2011
