Covid-19 Health Equity, and Broadband Expansion
The recent covid-19 pandemic put a high beam headlight on Health Equity and Healthcare Access in ethnic communities. It showed in real life how the lack of healthcare access and a prior lack of better self-health education and practices was a major factor in covid-19 hospitalization or deaths in communities. During covid, tele healthcare increased substantially because it gave many the opportunity to talk to a physician/doctor's assistant when we were in semi-shutdown. Also, gave us a chance to address covid symptoms and solutions that were available during that time. It also helped us keep connected and aware of new covid news through the internet. Unfortunately, many people in economically disadvantaged ethnic communities have less internet access than those in other communities. This is often due to limited broadband availability, the high cost of internet service, or a lack of necessary devices like smartphones, tablets, or laptops.
If we lived in a perfect world, everyone in the US would have access to the internet. This would in turn allow us to be able to use telehealth in areas that were lacking access to physicians. It would also allow us to be more educated on health issues, better personal health practices, as well as the latest information on any new virus as when we battled with covid-19.
So, with the upcoming broadband expansion throughout the US as a result of new government laws and funding, our current Health Equity situation could helped substantially by having new access to telehealth.
What is it that needs to be done to maximize this upcoming broadband opportunity and be able to affect Health Equity in a positive matter:
Educate diverse communities on the new availability of broadband and what it means for them.
Healthcare groups like doctors, hospitals, clinics etc. all have to ramp up their telehealth system and make sure it is organized and can run smoothly to handle an increased load.
Develop programs to provide internet access for those who cannot afford it, including senior citizens, low-income families, and underserved communities, ensuring they have private settings to connect with their doctors via telehealth.
Create programs to help those who cannot afford smartphones and tablets, to have access to them and/or even own their own hardware.
Broadband and increased telehealth is coming!
So we need to help underserved communities, be ready to participate, and to take advantage of these new tools.
Joe Lopez CEO
Lopez PR & Marketing Group
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