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AT&T Looking To Set Up Health ISPs
By John Vinson
Expert Author
Article Date: 2010-11-05
The health industry is looking to make huge advancements in its networking infrastructure within the next few years. The NHIN (Nationwide Health Information Network) is going to be expanding, and AT&T looks to be getting in on the action. Becoming a Health ISP isn't an easy task. There are many factors to consider; the most important is finding markets where electronic health services are needed.
These services look to grow as Obama's healthcare plan looked to provide doctors and hospitals with incentives to switch to electronic systems. While many aspects of the healthcare reform is in trouble due to the Republicans taking over the House of Representatives, the incentives for technological updates look to remain.
AT&T's new health related arm is to be called 'AT&T ForHealth'. The company will be hiring 300 sales people, along with 20 others who have a medical and/or computer background.
AT&T will be following other major companies in their health expansions; these companies include: Verizon, Cisco, GE, IBM.
Specifically, AT&T will be providing data-center, and hosting technology efforts for various health organizations. It will also provide telehealth services, so that doctors will have an option when diagnosing or treating remotely.
Along with the bigger operations, more consumer health apps are making a push on mobile devices. Including diabetes regulation, and monitoring other chronic conditions. This will help push AT&T's wireless data services.
Lynne Dunbrack, an analyst in the Health Industry Insights unit for IDC had this to say about the health network spending, "The tech spending is set to go on. The better use of health care technology to reduce costs and improve care has bipartisan support."
There's no doubt that the electronic health industry is growing, and with more of the larger companies getting in on the action it will exponentially grow in the future. With AT&T looking to invest and get into the Health ISP market, it will be interesting to how hospitals improve and what costs can be cut.
About the Author:
John is a staff writer for WebProNews.
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