The new FCC National Broadband Plan that emphasizes healthcare and the just-enacted health insurance legislation (we're hesitant to call it "reform" if it doesn't address the misaligned incentives that favor quantity over quality) could open up more opportunities in mobile health, says the new head of the West Wireless Health Institute.
"We were very pleased with the emphasis on m-health in the FCC broadband plan published last week. Now, with the passage of healthcare reform, we hope there will be a greater focus on how to provide greater access at lower costs, and a closer look at what can be done to accelerate the role wireless health can play in this mission," Donald Casey said, according to Wireless Week. Casey, who spoke with FierceMobileHealthcare last week, highlighted low-cost sensors and remote wireless monitoring devices as a means of pushing "infrastructure-independent healthcare," to deliver the right care at the right time, regardless of the patient's location.
Still, Casey calls the legislation and the FCC plan just a start, noting, there is still a lot of work to do"
For more information:
- take a look at this Wireless Week story