New FCC push to link rural hospitals to urban doctors | 11.16.2007 | 10:34:03 | Views: 7756 | ID: November 16 '07: The Federal Communications Commission has announced a new push to link rural hospitals to urban doctors through the Internet, WBBM AM 780 reported. "Speaking in Chicago, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin outlined the $400 million Rural Health Care pilot program which he says will link 6,000 hospitals, clinics and research facilities in 43 states." At the heart of the RHC is the National LamdaRail and Internet 2, both partnership programs designed to increase cooperation between research and academic institutions and to create and develop the new Internet protocol, respectively. In a press release, the FCC said that the RHC will help "public and non-profit health care providers construct state- and region-wide broadband networks to provide telehealth and telemedicine services throughout the nation." Fostering the development of the new Internet protocol, also called IPv6, National LambdaRail's mission is to support the the production of such experimental networks, helping to create real-world application and adoption. FCC officials hope that using the Internet 2's capabilities - "the high performance network infrastructure and extensive worldwide partnerships" - they will be able to successfully link those rural health care facilities with doctors in urban areas who may have the needed resources.
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