Fast Forward: FCC Enhances Spectrum Access to Spur Wireless and Mobile Health Care Innovation

Talk about fast forwarding health care into the future: Earlier this month, FCC Chairman Genachowski announced a plan for enhanced spectrum access for testing new wireless health innovations, with the goal of “speeding new mobile and wireless health technologies to market” to create a “wireless health care revolution.”

Wireless medical technologies can save huge sums of money while providing better health outcomes. For example, currently managing chronic diseases comprise 75% of total US health care costs. Remote monitoring technologies could save as much as $197 billion in the US over the next 25 years, primarily due to better management of chronic diseases, according to economist Robert Litan.

Per Continua Health Alliance, remote monitoring of vital statistics of patients with chronic conditions has resulted in up to a 56% reduction in mortality, and cost savings through a 47% reduction in risk of hospitalization, reduced hospital stay length, and a 65% reduction in office visits.This is a very compelling case for how wireless and mobile technologies can create a health care revolution and the impetus to speed such technologies to market...