National Public Radio reports on the efforts to expand rural Health IT through broadband:

Millions of Americans who live in rural areas travel long distances to get health care. Or they may go without it. But high-speed Internet connections now make it possible to bring a doctor's expertise to patients in far-off places, if those places are connected.

At Broadband for America, we’ve discussed the myriad benefits of Health IT: reducing patient costs, improving overall care and in the case of rural areas, improving access. More from NPR:

That's where the FCC's rural telemedicine plan will help, says FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. "If you have rural connectivity for health care, then patients don't have to drive two or three or four hours for their treatments — instead, [they] can stay back where they live, consult with a medical profession[al] remotely," Genachowski says.

Read or listen to the full report here.