Broadband continues to play a vital role in unleashing health IT advances.  From mobile technologies that aid patients and inform physicians to new studies that demonstrate Internet-backed healthcare gains, broadband is making a difference.

Recent articles discuss how AT&T’s mobile health solutions are helping diabetes patients.  The program’s mobile application, DiabetesManager, allows users to enter their blood glucose readings – tracking levels that inform patients and alert physicians, as necessary. A recent satisfaction survey with this pilot program found more than 90% would recommend DiabetesManager, and 88% found the app “highly useful” for health management. 

Along similar lines, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) recently launched a contest to develop a mobile phone app to help fight cancer among women.  The goal is to create an effective mobile channel to provide information to women diagnosed with cancer, or who are at high-risk of developing specific types of cancer, including breast, cervical, uterine and ovarian.  The winning apps will also be capable of communicating with electronic health record systems and providing users with important reminders.

Health IT is also tackling large-scale challenges facing our nation’s health care system – such as reducing hospital readmissions.  A recent report from CSC Global Institute for Emerging Healthcare Practices shows that using electronic health records in conjunction with technology that tracks a patient's health post-hospitalization can effectively reduce readmissions. 

As the field of health IT continues to evolve, broadband will continue to play an integral role in enhancing patient health, and improving the quality and efficiency of care.