The FCC’s Connect2Health Task Force plans to convene several “virtual listening sessions” between now and late September “to more efficiently facilitate targeted input on broadband health issues (including on the rural/urban gap and other digital divide issues) from non-traditional stakeholders and those outside the Washington, D.C., area,” according to a public notice released by the FCC today.

The input from the listening sessions will assist the task force in developing recommendations for the FCC on regulatory, policy, technical, and infrastructure issues related to the broadband-enabled health care ecosystem (TR Daily, April 24).

The public notice also said that the formal comment period for General docket 16-46 will remain open until Sept. 29, “to give interested parties an opportunity to file additional comments and information following the completion of the virtual listening sessions.  Parties have also expressed interest in submitting comments and suggestions for enhancements related to the Mapping Broadband Health in America platform released on June 8, 2017, and this extension will facilitate such filings.”

Each listening sessions is expected to last about an hour.  Transcripts of the sessions will be made publicly available on the FCC’s website. Parties interested in participating in the listening sessions should contact the task force by July 28 via e-mail at connect2health@fcc.gov, with “Virtual Listening Session” in the subject line.

The tentative schedule for the listening sessions include sessions to hear from health care providers; rural and consumer stakeholders; technology and broadband stakeholders; and policy-makers at all levels of government. —Lynn Stanton, lynn.stanton@wolterskluwer.com

Courtesy TRDaily