Nearly one in four Americans – most of whom live in rural areas – do not have access to adequate broadband internet services. Physician leaders from Atrium Health and Navicent Health recently addressed the National Rural Health Association’s Critical Access Hospital Conference, discussing “Broadband Access is Key to Improving Rural Health” to call attention to this important issue.
 
Patrice Walker, MD, Chief Medical Officer of The Medical Center, Navicent Health in Macon, Ga. and Wayne Sparks, MD, Senior Medical Director of Behavioral Health at Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health, discussed the need for broadband access, particularly to improve telehealth services.
 
“For many years, experts have pointed out that a digital divide exists in America. In recent years, many of us in the healthcare field have observed a geographic digital divide between cities and rural areas. A lack of national broadband infrastructure means people in rural communities are unable to use the internet to access resources, information, providers and services that will enable them to better manage their health,” said Dr. Walker.
 
Speaking at the conference, Dr. Walker identified broadband access as the sixth determinant to health, in addition to the five commonly accepted social determinants, which include social and community context, education, economic stability, neighborhood and general living environment, and healthcare access.
 
“In more populated areas, where broadband infrastructure is established, patients can use the internet to find out information about symptoms or illnesses. Healthcare providers can use broadband to check on a patient’s progress to make sure they are following a prescribed set of treatment. Doctors can use streaming video to perform remote checkups and catch potential health issues before they get worse. Wearable devices monitoring your health range from simple fitness trackers to tools that track diseases like diabetes or heart conditions. Most of us take these options for granted, but for many people, none of this is available,” said Dr. Sparks.
 
According to the National Institutes of Health, people in rural areas face higher rates of mortality, transportation challenges and have more mistrust of healthcare providers. Transportation is particularly problematic for rural patients, who often travel for hours to see a physician, especially for treatment for chronic conditions. The rural communities who would benefit the most from telehealth are often unable to access it.
 
One of the primary goals of Atrium Health’s and Navicent Health’s strategic combination, effective January 2019, is to address access to care, particularly through telehealth options for rural areas. This is the first joint presentation Atrium Health and Navicent Health have made at the national level. The partners will continue to advocate for broadband access in each community they serve and take measurable steps to provide telehealth services to those areas.