Reliable, high-speed broadband Internet access is critical for physician practices who electronic prescribing or other applications that send and receive health information over the Internet.
In 2007, the Pennsylvania Medical Society embarked on an initiative, called ConnectTheDocs, to expand broadband access to Pennsylvania physicians who have little or no access. ConnectTheDocs was funded through grants from the Broadband Outreach and Aggregation Fund through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
Our ConnectTheDocs team surveyed the state’s physicians and medical practices to assess their Internet access and identify areas that need improvement. In 2008, we began educational outreach and a campaign to help physicians in some areas of the state negotiate better rates for broadband Internet.
Although ConnectTheDocs officially concluded Jan. 31, 2010, below are the broadband, electronic prescribing, and electronic medical records resources that we developed during this initiative.