March 12, 2025- Nearly 3 million Americans live in mostly rural counties that lack both healthcare and reliable high-speed internet, leaving them with worse outcomes and fewer options, KFF Health News reported March 10.
KFF used data from the Federal Communications Commission, George Washington University’s Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, U.S. Census Bureau, CDC, and other data to understand the health status and demographics of counties that lacked reliable broadband and healthcare providers, according to Becker’s.
Here are key points from the report, according to Becker’s:
- Patients across more than 200 rural counties in the South, Appalachia and remote West are more often left in both care and internet deserts than those in other regions.
- Without reliable internet, patients may struggle to log into their patient portals and sign on to video calls with physicians.
- High rates of chronic illness and historical inequities are common in communities with poor internet service.
- More than 133 funding programs administered by 15 agencies have tried to fix connectivity dead zones, but inequities persist.
- For reliable access to telehealth care, patients require a minimum internet speed of 100/100 Mbps.
Continue Reading from Becker’s.