FCC Considers New Spectrum for Medical Communications ...

The next phase of healthcare innovation is in exchange and interoperability. But neither of these is possible without connectivity, which in turn depends on infrastructure to enable wired or wireless connections. Within a limited network, health information exchange (HIE) is equally limited. While most of the focus in health information technology (IT) is on software and some even on hardware, none of these systems will its maximum effect without improved network infrastructure. In a speech last week at the George Washington University Hospital (Washington, DC), Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski addressed what his organization was doing to spur innovation in connectivity, particularly in the area of healthcare. Since 1934, the FCC has regulated interstate and international communications via radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. (Fortunately for us, hand and smoke signals still defy regulation, so you can still stick it to the man.)

More recently as part of its ?health strategy,? the FCC has been working to increase connectivity; to enable innovation in wireless networks, mobile applications, and medical devices and the adoption of increased adoption of these technologies; and to allocate an optimal spectrum for managing new communications. ?Connectivity is the infrastructure that makes this all possible?none of these innovative technologies can reach their full potential without fast, reliable broadband access,? said Genachowski.

Close to 18 million Americans lack access to quality broadband connections. Imagine the amount of information that current infrastructure prevents from flowing into these?under-served?regions of the country. ?Connecting Americans also requires promoting broadband adoption, particularly among seniors and low-income Americans who are disproportionately on the wrong side of the broadband divide and could disproportionately benefit from digital medicine,? observed the Chairman. Some think not having wireless access is absurd ? what if you didn?t even have dialup? The FCC has aimed to mitigate this divide through the Connect America Fund.

For health IT innovation to connect providers and patients in all parts of the US, the FCC is looking to provision a spectrum dedicated the medical communication, the Medical Body Area Network (MBAN). Via MBAN, medical devices that monitor the condition of patients and provide real-time data for many more individuals can help ?doctors and nurses to identify life-threatening problems or events before they occur.? And the potential savings of proactive monitoring are significant. ?Avoiding expenses from moving patients from rehabilitation clinics and nursing homes to emergency departments and physician offices, or from one emergency department to another, could result in $1.2 billion in annual savings,? noted Genachowski.

The FCC is slated to rule on MBAN on May 24. While the ruling deals specifically with devices that monitor clinical information, the data captured via MBAN devices will be crucial to HIE, which isn?t just about sharing information between institutions. It?s also about exchanging vital data between patients and providers. Dedicating a spectrum specific to medicine and healthcare, both licensed and unlicensed, should prove a boon to developers looking to specialize in certain forms of care or to enhance features in their health IT systems.

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