Rural technology resources related to rural health and human services, with information provided by the Rural Assistance Center Copyright 2010 Rural Assistance Center http://www.raconline.org/info_guides/technology/ Rural Cellular Association (RCA) article reports that in its National Broadband Plan delivered to Congress yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was very specific on at least one item and recommended outlined expedited action on data roaming, an action that would go a long way toward advancing broadband coverage in rural America. http://www.rca-usa.org/associations/6491/files/RCA-pr-031610.pdf Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:06:59 CST http://www.rca-usa.org/associations/6491/files/RCA-pr-031610.pdf AHA News reports that in a letteryesterday, 249 members of the U.S. House of Representatives strongly urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to revise its proposed definition and requirements for hospitals to qualify for Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments as "meaningful users" of certified electronic health record technology. http://www.ahanews.com/ahanews_app/jsp/display.jsp?dcrpath=AHANEWS/AHANewsNowArticle/data/ann_031610_MU&domain=AHANEWS Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:15:00 CST http://www.ahanews.com/ahanews_app/jsp/display.jsp?dcrpath=AHANEWS/AHANewsNowArticle/data/ann_031610_MU&domain=AHANEWS This notice announces a series of forthcoming public subcommittee meetings of the HIT Standards Federal advisory committee of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-5784.htm Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:47:35 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-5784.htm This notice announces a series of forthcoming public subcommittee meetings of the HIT Policy Federal advisory committee workgroups of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-5783.htm Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:44:22 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-5783.htm Includes the executive summary and full text of the National Broadband Plan, which began taking form in April 2009 and was finalized in March 2010. The plan makes recommendations to the FCC, the Executive Branch, Congress and state and local governments to ensure all consumers and industries in rural and urban America have access to affordable broadband computer networks. -- Federal Communications Commission http://download.broadband.gov/plan/national-broadband-plan.pdf Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:34:58 CST http://download.broadband.gov/plan/national-broadband-plan.pdf U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced awards to help states facilitate health information exchange and advance health information technology (health IT). http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=13290 Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:02:25 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=13290 New York Times article reports that the Federal Communications Commission is proposing an ambitious 10-year plan that will reimagine the nations media and technology priorities by establishing high-speed Internet as the countrys dominant communication network. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/business/media/13fcc.html Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:53:58 CST http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/business/media/13fcc.html A new Commonwealth Fund profile points to lessons for the U.S. and health care reform, reporting that all primary care doctors in Denmark use electronic medical records and 98 percent have the ability to electronically manage patient careincluding ordering prescriptions, drafting notes about patient visits, and sending appointment reminders. http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/News/News-Releases/2010/Mar/100-Percent-of-Primary-Care-Doctors-in-Denmark-Use-Electronic-Medical-Records.aspx Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:51:59 CST http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/News/News-Releases/2010/Mar/100-Percent-of-Primary-Care-Doctors-in-Denmark-Use-Electronic-Medical-Records.aspx The U.S. Department of Agriculture joined First Lady Michelle Obama yesterday in announcing the innovative Apps for Healthy Kids competition, where contestants will compete for $40,000 in prizes to develop new tools to help raise a generation of healthier kids. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=13270 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:21:41 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=13270 Provides a Rural Citizens' Forum for the evaluation of and comment on electronic government services offerings; works to identify barriers to access, usability, and acceptance of electronic government services; and recommends solutions, and informs rural communities through outreach and training. http://www.ndgro.com/Home/tabid/246/Default.aspx Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:17:25 CST http://www.ndgro.com/Home/tabid/246/Default.aspx Kaiser Health News reports that although the federal government plans to give doctors up to $44,000 each, as well as millions of dollars to hospitals, to help buy health information technology, many providers are unhappy with the stimulus-funded program. http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2010/March/09/HIT.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+khn%2Ffulltext+%28All+Kaiser+Health+News+%28Full+Text%29%29&utm_content=Google+Reader Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:45:39 CST http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2010/March/09/HIT.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+khn%2Ffulltext+%28All+Kaiser+Health+News+%28Full+Text%29%29&utm_content=Google+Reader This rule from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology proposes the establishment of two certification programs for purposes of testing and certifying health information technology. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-4991.htm Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:42:37 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-4991.htm Medicare Update reports that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is reminding interested parties that on March 15, 2010 the comment period closes on the Proposed Rule, which would implement an electronic health records (EHR) incentive program for eligible professionals and eligible hospitals that adopt and meaningfully use certified EHR technology. http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/meaningfuluseproposedrule.html Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:41:43 CST http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/meaningfuluseproposedrule.html RedOrbit article tells how the Federal Communications Commission wants to utilize government programs that could help make high-speed Internet accessible for all Americans. http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1832777/fcc_plans_to_give_highspeed_internet_to_all_americans/ Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:03:10 CST http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1832777/fcc_plans_to_give_highspeed_internet_to_all_americans/ Daily Yonder article discusses the possibility that rural broadband build-out could facilitate not only the infrastructure needed to bring telework positions to rural communities, but also provide the means for rural residents to enroll in distance learning courses that will help them to become more competitive in the national and global marketplace. http://www.dailyyonder.com/broadband-can-close-education-loop/2010/03/03/2620 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:27:03 CST http://www.dailyyonder.com/broadband-can-close-education-loop/2010/03/03/2620 The Rural Utilities Service announces they are extending the application window for applications under the second round of the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) until March 29, 2010 at 5 p.m. ET. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-4780.htm Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:49:35 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-4780.htm Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the selection of 22 broadband infrastructure projects to give rural residents in 18 states or territories access to improved economic and educational opportunities. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=13230 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:19:17 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=13230 Comments are being requested by the FCC on a proposed rule that would make permanent change to enable schools that receive funding from the E-rate program (more formally, the schools and libraries universal service support program) to allow members of the general public to use the schools' Internet access during non-operating hours. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-4688.htm Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:30:44 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-4688.htm American Academy of Family Physician's (AAFP) article details their response to the federal government's Dec. 30 release of electronic health record regulations that define the term "meaningful use." http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now/practice-management/20100304mean-use-ltr.html Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:13:34 CST http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now/practice-management/20100304mean-use-ltr.html Medicare Update reports that on March 3, 2010, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released display copy of a Proposed Rule outlining a proposed approach for establishing a certification program to test and certify electronic health records (EHR). http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/electronichealthrecords.html Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:20:08 CST http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/electronichealthrecords.html Dotmed News article reports that Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) has introduced S. 2838, the Rural Health Access and Improvement Act of 2009, a bill that would give critical access hospitals priority in receiving grants under the Public Health Service Act, to assist in promotion of hospital health information technology. http://www.dotmed.com/news/story/11492/ Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:18:39 CST http://www.dotmed.com/news/story/11492/ Rural Health Voices article reports that yesterday the Department of Health and Human Services released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the Establishment of Certification Programs for Health Information Technology (Health IT). http://h184435wp.setupmyblog.com/2010/03/oncs-proposed-health-it-certification-programs/ Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:10:27 CST http://h184435wp.setupmyblog.com/2010/03/oncs-proposed-health-it-certification-programs/ Daily Yonder article reports that one of the goals of Federal Communication Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski is to extend 100 megabit per second service to 100 million homes by 2020, a plan that would spend $9 billion to bring broadband to rural areas faster. http://www.dailyyonder.com/new-fcc-broadband-plan-adds-9-billion-rural/2010/03/02/2618 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:55:59 CST http://www.dailyyonder.com/new-fcc-broadband-plan-adds-9-billion-rural/2010/03/02/2618 Washington DC March 24, 2010 -- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-4069.htm Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:45:27 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-4069.htm This notice announces a forthcoming public meeting of the Health Information Technology (HIT) Standards Committee, to be held March 17, in Washington, DC. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-4069.htm Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:49:04 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-4069.htm This notice announces a forthcoming public meeting of the Health Information Technology (HIT) Policy Committee, to be held March 17, in Washington, DC. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-4041.htm Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:45:50 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-4041.htm Daily Yonder article reports that Google has announced a new competition for super-fast fiber networks. Craig Settles explains what rural communities should consider before going after the megabits. http://www.dailyyonder.com/rural-communities-and-google-grants/2010/02/19/2598 Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:59:01 CST http://www.dailyyonder.com/rural-communities-and-google-grants/2010/02/19/2598 Computerworld article reports that a survey by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) shows that cost and lack of digital skills are the main reasons a third of Americans do not get high-speed Internet connections at home. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9160738/FCC_says_93M_in_U.S._lack_broadband_digital_divide_grows Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:18:36 CST http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9160738/FCC_says_93M_in_U.S._lack_broadband_digital_divide_grows MinnPost.com article tells of research that found that the general benefits of increased telemedicine might prevent out-migration of health-care professionals as rural health-care jobs will be able to offer more professional support and a higher degree of prestige. http://www.minnpost.com/community_voices/2010/02/24/16194/telemedicine_a_possible_cure_for_rural_out-migration Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:58:22 CST http://www.minnpost.com/community_voices/2010/02/24/16194/telemedicine_a_possible_cure_for_rural_out-migration Sun-Journal, (ME) article reports that a state lawmaker would like to provide low-interest loans and grants to independent health care providers in rural Maine so they can join an electronic medical-records database being used by more than 2,000 hospitals, clinics and doctors in the state. http://www.sunjournal.com/node/801848 Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:51:13 CST http://www.sunjournal.com/node/801848