About the Task Force

Connect2HealthFCC is exploring the intersection of broadband, advanced technology and health and further charting the broadband future of health care – serving as an umbrella for all FCC health-oriented activities to help enable a healthier America.

E-mail: connect2health@fcc.gov
Twitter: #C2HFCC
Schedule a Meeting: engageC2H@fcc.gov

Upcoming Events

March 3, 2022 - 10:00 am (EST)
Digital Health Symposium: Advancing Broadband Connectivity as a Social Determinant of Health

Key Initiatives

  • Broadband Connectivity as a Social Determinant of Health
    C2H posited in 2015 that broadband is a "super" determinant of health. Given the broad policy implications, C2H has been working with strategic partners to advance broadband connectivity as a recognized social determinant of health.  
  • Broadband Cancer Collaboration
    As part of a MOU, the FCC and National Cancer Institute have joined forces to convene key stakeholders around a public-private partnership to help bridge the broadband health connectivity gap in Appalachia.  
  • Mapping Broadband Health in America
    This innovative mapping platform enables data-driven decision making at the intersection of broadband and health.
  • Beyond the Beltway Series
    This series explores how communities are leveraging broadband-enabled health technologies to improve access to health and care throughout the country.

Coronavirus Information

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus (COVID-19). The CDC has established a website with the latest information from the CDC and the overarching medical community on COVID-19. This is a rapidly evolving situation and information will be updated as it becomes available. For the latest information from the CDC, including how COVID-19 spreads, symptoms, prevention and treatment, stigma, what to do if you are sick, and frequently asked questions, visit coronavirus.gov. To learn more about overall agency efforts to keep Americans connected during the pandemic, and to protect the health and safety of staff, visit fcc.gov/coronavirus.


Experiencing Cancer in Appalachian Kentucky

Connected cancer care is of increasing importance in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Linking & Amplifying User-Centered Networks through Connected Health (L.A.U.N.C.H.) Collaborative in Appalachian Kentucky has pioneered a new roadmap for equipping communities with the transformative power of broadband to innovate around the future of cancer care and to better scale their ideas. The roadmap involves reaching across disciplines, including public health, anthropology, telecommunications, and user-centered design. The goal is to leverage connectivity and cancer communication research and practice to make a real difference for patients and families.

This paper, published in the July 2020 issue of the Journal of Appalachian Health, highlights this research and the work of the L.A.U.N.C.H. Collaborative.


Senior Leadership Think Tank

Report Cover: L.A.U.N.C.H. Senior Leadership Think Tank - Exploring the Future of Connected Cancer Care in Rural America and Beyond - Click to visit the Senior Leadership Think Tank page.

The Federal Communications Commission's Connect2Health Task Force and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health convened a groundbreaking meeting at FCC headquarters in Washington, DC, with senior thought leaders from both the public and private sectors and across the country. The broad expertise included representatives from government, academia, industry, healthcare systems, public health, biotechnology, design and innovation, and telecommunications.


Mapping Broadband Health in America

Mapping Broadband Health in America on the C2H HomepageThe Connect2HealthFCC Task Force's Mapping Broadband Health in America platform allows users to visualize, overlay and analyze broadband and health data at national, state and county levels - informing policy and investment decisions. The interactive maps show connectivity and health intersections for every U.S. county. Users can generate customized maps showing broadband access, adoption and speed alongside various health measures (e.g., obesity, diabetes and physician access) in urban and rural areas.

Learn more | Dive into the maps


Faces of Connected Care

Faces of Connected Care - The Mississippi Story: Video LinkThis video shows the positive impact of public-private partnerships on health outcomes and how broadband-enabled health technologies have made a difference to diabetes patients in Mississippi. Watch video.

Blog: A Texas State of Mind - Connected Health in Houston and the Rio Grande Valley

“Texas is a state of mind,” said John Steinbeck referring to the unique combination of passion, cohesiveness and independence so common to the state.  The FCC’s Connect2HealthFCC Task Force experienced this first-hand during its recent “Beyond the Beltway” visit to Houston and the Rio Grande Valley.  In celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month, the visit was anchored by a Broadband Prescriptions for Mental Health conference co-hosted by the renowned University of Houston Law Center’s Health Law and Policy Institute, with the Law Center’s esteemed Dean, Leonard M. Baynes.

Read the blog post | Connect2HealthFCC blog posts


Broadband Health Imperative

Broadband Health Imperative InfographicBroadband-enabled health technology solutions can help us meet the health and care challenges of today and tomorrow by connecting people to the people, services, and information they need to get well and stay healthy. Learn more about the broadband health imperative.

Connectivity & Health Snapshot

Map of Virginia: click to learn more and provide feedback

The Connect2HealthFCC maps provide a high level snapshot of the current state of affairs at the intersection of broadband, connectivity and health in various states across the country. Virginia is the first map in our series and is a follow-up to the Task Force visit to Charlottesville in late 2014. Here you can interact with and begin to experience Virginia's story of health and connectivity. Learn more and provide feedback.

 


Icon of hands shaking to symbolize funding

Funding

Funding Sources for Broadband-Enabled Health Care: Financial support available for initiatives connecting broadband services and health care delivery.

 


Icon of family to symbolize consumers

Consumers

The Connect2HealthFCC Task Force tip sheets, available in English and Spanish, offer tips to help consumers engage in their own health care through broadband-enabled services.

Tips and Information

Digital Health: Share Your Story
We want to know how you are "connecting" to health! How are you using technology to address a health problem? Which digital health tools work best for you? You can email us at engageC2H@fcc.gov and send us your pic, audio file or video.

 


Icon of paper and pen to symbolize policymaking

Policymaking

The FCC remains committed to doing its part to accelerate the adoption of broadband-enabled health care solutions and the development and availability of health-related technologies for all Americans. This is a collaborative effort involving multiple bureaus and offices. For example, the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) oversees the Healthcare Connect Fund, to expand health care provider access to broadband, especially in rural areas. The Office Engineering and Technology (OET) manages spectrum and works to create new opportunities for competitive technologies, including wireless medical devices.

Explore the FCC's Policymaking Milestones: FCC, Broadband and Health Milestones (1996 – 2018)
Significant FCC actions and activities for improving health care, expanding access to broadband, facilitating the development of advanced health care technologies, and creating new opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs. Click on the graphic to learn more about the milestones and events.

GraphicSee milestones from 1995 to 2000 See milestones from 2000 to 2004See milestones from 2005 to 2009See milestones from 2010See milestones from 2011See milestones from 2012See milestones from 2013See milestones from 2014