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Hosted by: Broadband Illinois, www.broadbandillinois.org and MoBroadbandNow, www.mobroadbandnow.com

Moderator and Presenter:  Ron Emerson, Global Director of Healthcare, Polycom

Conference Speakers Include: 

• Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Missouri Governor Jay Nixon are scheduled to attend
• Curtis Lowery, MD, Angels Network in Arkansas – KEYNOTE SPEAKER
• Jon Linkous, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Telemedicine Association
• Ed Simcox, Director, AT&T ForHealth Solutions and Telehealth Strategy
• Matthew Wenzel, Chief Executive Officer, Headrick Medical Center, St. Luke’s Health System
• Thomas Hale, MD, Executive Medical Director, Mercy Telehealth Services
•  Kathy Chorba, Executive Director, California Telehealth Network
• Rachel Mutrux, Executive Director, Missouri Telehealth Network
•  Pat Schou, Executive Director, Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network

Live telemedicine presentations and demonstrations from Microsoft, InTouch and others.

The Missouri Senate passed unanimously (34-0) Senate Bill 262, relating to telemedicine services.  The legislation is now awaiting consideration in the Missouri House.  The bill sponsored by Senator S. Kiki Curls would require insurance companies cover medical services that are offered electronically if the insurance plan covers the same procedure as an in-person service.  The telemedicine parity bill would ensure that electronic or online treatment or services would not be subject to a higher deductible or co-pay.  For more information, see SB 262 language or read and listen to MissouriNet coverage. 

Governor Jay Nixon signed an agreement creating WGU Missouri, a new state-based online university offering 50 high-quality degree programs.  He first announced his intent to expand higher education opportunities at the 2013 State of the State Address.  The all online program is affordable at $6,000 a year; allowing more Missourians to complete their education and move up the career ladder.  WGU Missouri is part of the governor’s strategy to increase post-secondary degrees and certificates from 37 to 60 percent.  Prospective students can get more information and enroll here.

• 97% of all Missourians have access to broadband at 3 megabits per second (download) and 768 kilobits per second (upload)
• 90% of rural Missourians have access to broadband
• 82% of all Missourians have access to up to three wireline (DSL, Fiber or Cable) broadband providers
• Nearly half of all Missourians have access to up to five wireless (Fixed or Cellular) broadband providers

In 2009, Governor Nixon set the goal that at least 95% of Missourians should have broadband access by the end of 2014.  MoBroadbandNow is excited that we have achieved this milestone ahead of schedule and are committed to reaching more homes and businesses that remain underserved.  MoBroadbandNow has 111 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) participating in the public-private initiative.  We remain focused on availability, adoption, speed, choice, affordability and sustainability.

MoBroadbandNow released the second in a series of reports focusing on broadband usage in Missouri.  Click to read Building Digital Inclusion: Broadband and Missouri’s Public Libraries.  The report analyzes data collected from thousands of Missouri citizens.  For many residents living in underserved broadband communities, the public library is one of the main access points to high-speed Internet.  

The Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project recently released a study on public library use among young people.  Click to read Younger Americans’ Reading and Library Habits.  According to its data, 60 percent of people under the age of 30 visited their local public library in the last year.  This age group also has a high comfort level downloading e-books and accessing news or information online.

The Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City (Jackson County) is one of six community college systems that have established a Public Computing Center on its campus.  The centers open a door to broadband accessibility where a connection does not exist in the home or to digital literacy skills closing the digital divide.  Metropolitan will host an “open house” for its first off-campus location in Kearney (Clay County).  The event is free and open to the public.

When: November 8, 2012, MCC Public Computer Center tours from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Where: The Firehouse Center for Creative Excellence, 106 S. Jefferson, Kearney 64060

Click here for more information about Public Computing Centers

MoBroadbandNow continues to travel the state, meeting with rural hospitals as part of our Rural Health Broadband Initiative.  Congratulations to Northwest Medical Center in Albany (Gentry County) on receiving a $25,000.00 broadband connection grant to upgrade speed and expand telemedicine services.  The New York Times recently published an article on the growth of applications and how broadband can deliver better healthcare and improve outcomes for patients.