New FCC task force looks to accelerate adoption of health technologies

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched a new mhealth task force, CONNECT2HEALTHFCC, that will look at ways of accelerating adoption of healthcare technologies.

Chairman Tom Wheeler said in an announcement that the task force, to be chaired by incoming deputy general counsel Michele Ellison, will bring together the expertise of the FCC and stakeholders on the critical intersection of broadband, advanced technology and health.

Ellison will collaborate with FCC leadership, in particular the FCC director of health care initiatives and the chiefs of the Wireline and Wireless Bureaus and Office of Engineering and Technology, as well as public and private stakeholders in healthcare and technology.

“Broadband itself is not the goal--it’s what broadband enables. We must leverage all available technologies to ensure that advanced healthcare solutions are readily accessible to all Americans, from rural and remote areas to underserved inner cities,” said Wheeler in a statement. "By identifying regulatory barriers and incentives and building stronger partnerships with stakeholders in the areas of telehealth, mobile applications and telemedicine, we can expedite this vital shift.”