Communications Crossroads - Summer 2008 - (Page 16)

Right now, e-medicine is saving the country money right along with lives. In America, where health care costs make up 15 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)— the highest in the world—experts estimate that broadband could save the industry more than $300 billion a year using advanced systems like one already in place in Kansas, where broadband allows teams of specialists to monitor patients’ vital signs, labs, medications and more, 24 hours a day, from a remote location, working in conjunction with the caregivers on site. And that translates into a green side effect, as increased connectivity means a decrease in work-related travel, and not just for employees in the ﬁelds of health and education. According to a recent study, IN AMERICA, WHERE HEALTH CARE COSTS MAKE UP 15 PERCENT OF THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP)— THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD—EXPERTS ESTIMATE THAT BROADBAND COULD SAVE THE INDUSTRY MORE THAN $300 BILLION A YEAR USING ADVANCED SYSTEMS LIKE ONE ALREADY IN PLACE IN KANSAS, WHERE BROADBAND ALLOWS TEAMS OF SPECIALISTS TO MONITOR PATIENTS’ VITAL SIGNS, LABS, MEDICATIONS AND MORE, 24 HOURS A DAY, FROM A REMOTE LOCATION, WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CAREGIVERS ON SITE. 16 COMMUNICATIONS CROSSROADS www.ustelecom.org roughly 50,000 Americans working from home just part of the time can reduce a corporation’s carbon emissions by some 68,000 tons. Saving close to $4 billion in fuel and time while reducing trafﬁc, greenhouse gases and dependence on foreign oil is a legitimate and important goal. Broadband—in its many creative applications—is improving the lives of people everywhere, now, in real time. Its proponents agree that its positive potential is seemingly limitless. eDUCATION: New Frontiers “RIF is betting on broadband to help expand the reach and impact of its mission,” says Ernestine Walls Benedict, Director, Online Communications for Reading is Fundamental (RIF), the nation’s oldest and largest children’s literacy non-proﬁt. The technology has done quite a bit for the program’s scope already. In 2004, the Washington, D.C.based organization launched Reading Planet (www.rif.org/readingplanet), a learning site for children ages 6 to 15. Benedict says about 20,000 children visit the site each month to play reading-related games and activities, participate in contests, and learn about books and authors. Last year, RIF expanded with Leading to Reading—fun activities for the birth-to-age-5 set, along with tips for caregivers to help build literacy skills. The sites are live in both English and Spanish. “Broadband technology allows us to feature rich content on each of these sites, such as interactive books and games, video performances, music libraries and audio stories,” she says. “Broadband is invaluable technology for engaging children with our resources online and encouraging them to become lifelong readers.” Benedict says the organization plans to take full advantage of what broadband providers can offer with an expansion to educate the educators. Development is already in the works for an online literacy training and technical assistance program http://www.rif.org/readingplanet http://www.ustelecom.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Communications Crossroads - Summer 2008

Communications Crossroads - Summer 2008 Up Front Contents TeleBites Delivering the Broadband Future Deriving Revenue from Today's Broadband World The Right Way to Operate Data Centers Buyers' Guide Industry Calendar Advertisers DotCom Index to Advertisers Straight Talk

Communications Crossroads - Summer 2008

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