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[T-Priority](https://www.t-mobile.com/t-priority) - [SuperMobile](https://www.t-mobile.com/business/plans/supermobile) [](https://www.t-mobile.com) # Leveraging connectivity to mitigate health disparities. ## Leveraging connectivity to mitigate health disparities. __OVERVIEW__ [__Facts and figures__](https://www.t-mobile.com#Facts-and-figures) What are health disparities? [__Access to healthcare__](https://www.t-mobile.com#Access-to-healthcare) Telehealth and health disparities. [__The digital divide__](https://www.t-mobile.com#The-digital-divide) Efforts to improve connectivity. [__Connectivity benefits__](https://www.t-mobile.com#Connectivity-benefits) Connectivity can have a significant return on investment. SHARE THIS ARTICLE: [](https://www.linkedin.com/cws/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com%2Fbusiness%2Fresources%2Farticles%2Fconnectivity-mitigates-health-disparities) [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com%2Fbusiness%2Fresources%2Farticles%2Fconnectivity-mitigates-health-disparities) [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com%2Fbusiness%2Fresources%2Farticles%2Fconnectivity-mitigates-health-disparities) ## Related content. ### Priorities in healthcare software spending on digital connectivity. Virtual care is transforming healthcare workflows, clinical documentation, patient experience and engagement, and even infrastructure. [Explore priorities](https://www.t-mobile.com/business/resources/articles/digital-transformation-in-healthcare)  ## Priorities in healthcare software spending on digital connectivity. ### Healthcare workforce challenges: the top issue for hospital executives. Workforce retention is a top priority in healthcare. Connectivity can support new and veteran talent with access to expertise and on-demand resources. [See what executives are facing , opens in a new window](https://www.t-mobile.com/business/resources/articles/healthcare-workforce-shortage)  ## Healthcare workforce challenges: the top issue for hospital executives. ### Addressing healthcare consumerism with connectivity. In 2021, the American Telemedicine Association put connectivity at the very top of its hierarchical framework for addressing health disparities. [Meet the digital patient](https://www.t-mobile.com/business/resources/articles/healthcare-consumerism)  ## Addressing healthcare consumerism with connectivity. __Dr. Christine Gall,__ Healthcare Marketing Expert Health disparities are defined by the CDC as “preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations.”¹ FACTS AND FIGURES ## What are health disparities? Health disparities can be caused by a range of factors, including poverty, environment, inadequate access to care, behaviors, and educational inequalities. Examples of health disparities in the U.S. include: - Hispanic and Latino, and non-Hispanic Black individuals were hospitalized with COVID-19 from March 2020 through June 2021 at a rate 2.8 times greater than non-Hispanic White people, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).² - In July 2021, American Indian/Alaska Native people had 2.8 times higher death rates than White people from COVID-19. - According to the GAO, in 2018, Black people suffered diabetes age-adjusted mortality rates of 49.7 deaths per 100,000 compared to 40 per 100,000 for American Indian/Alaska natives and Whites (24.8/100,000). Find out about smart services that can help deliver better patient care. Contact us ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE ## Telehealth and health disparities. In 2021, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) organized the CEO’s Advisory Group on Using Telehealth to Eliminate Disparities and Inequities. It has a goal of advancing a framework and roadmap for addressing [telehealth disparities](https://www.t-mobile.com/business/resources/articles/improving-healthcare-services-with-mobile-technologies). As the group noted, "Health disparities are not simply differences in health outcomes. They represent significant gaps in what evidence-based tools and resources can be accessed by whom and when."³ The framework they developed consists of a pyramid, with connectivity at the top, followed by: - Affordability - Health literacy and digital literacy - Structural competence - Inclusiveness - History, culture, trust, and structural anti-racism The ATA stated, “Starting at the top of the framework, connectivity is the means for individuals to access otherwise un- or less-available services through digital modalities. Connectivity necessarily includes all facets of digital interactions for individuals: access to a device, service, and sufficient connectivity speed.” THE DIGITAL DIVIDE ## Efforts to improve connectivity. Studies are increasingly building evidence that one of the barriers to healthcare is the lack of access to the internet—the digital divide in healthcare—has negative effects on an individual's health. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Connect2HealthFCC Task Force found that "one promising solution may lie in a paradigm shift in recognizing that broadband plays a more direct and consequential role as a social determinant of health, if not as a 'super' determinant of health."⁴ The Advancing Broad Connectivity as a Social Determinant of Health Initiative is working to establish the foundation for broadband connectivity as a recognized social determinant of the health domain. Its goals are to inform current and future FCC policies and programs, support government-wide interest in leveraging broadband to improve population health and health equity, push collaborative projects with public and private stakeholders, encourage more research in the area, and "foster competitive innovation in the health IT sector related to the construct of broadband as a social determinant of health." The Biden Administration's Affordable Connectivity Program,⁵ part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, provides households up to $30 per month for high-speed internet services and a one-time $100 discount on devices. But broadband isn't the only factor in reducing healthcare disparities. A 2022 panel at MedCity INVEST in Chicago⁶ concluded that access to an affordable mobile device or home internet are additional factors for digital equity in healthcare. Offline solutions can also address health inequities, such as the use of non-medical facilities like libraries to offer residents access to telehealth services. CONNECTIVITY BENEFITS ## Connectivity can have a significant return on investment. Improved connectivity won't solve all the problems causing health inequity. And the ROI in digital connectivity for healthcare can be difficult to determine. Novant Health, based in Winston-Salem, NC, used six factors to calculate⁷ its ROI, and after investing in several digital technologies, reported: - Improved patient experiences—90% patient satisfaction score - Personalization that enhanced patients' interactions - Improved collections—13% overall collections lift, equivalent to $30 million annualized - Increased engagement that led to increased collections - Cash acceleration—a 43% drop-in days-to-collect - Digital engagement, which included a 94% lift in digital payments, 87% of collections completely self-serviced, and bolstered patient self-service capabilities and decreased cost-to-collect   Improved connectivity can have far-reaching implications by improving access to healthcare treatments via telemedicine, better health education access and quality, and strengthening social connections and community safety. All with a significant ROI based on a wide range of quality metrics. For more insights focusing on the benefits of digital connectivity and health equity in healthcare from Dr. Christine Gall, please visit [T-Mobile for Business – Healthcare](https://www.t-mobile.com/business/industry-solutions/healthcare "Bring intelligent insights to life."). ## About the author:  __Dr. Christine Gall,__ Healthcare Marketing Expert Dr. Gall has been a healthcare leader for over 30 years. As a nurse, she has practiced in inpatient, outpatient, and homecare settings, allowing unique insights into the continuum of care. Dr. Gall has designed and implemented multiple clinical programs aimed at addressing gaps in services and care for underserved patients. Prior to joining T-Mobile, Dr. Gall consulted with local government to support their pandemic emergency response. In her role at T-Mobile, Dr. Gall leads the product marketing strategy for healthcare, collaborating with healthcare leaders and clinicians to create telehealth and mobility solutions that address the greatest challenges of the day. She believes that T-Mobile's powerful 5G network is key to addressing health disparities and barriers to access that impact population health. Dr. Gall's academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a Master of Science Degree in Healthcare Management from the Lubar School of Business Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a Doctorate Degree in Public Health Leadership from the University of Illinois Chicago. Her Dissertation, funded by the State of Ohio, was on the topic of Mass Casualty Pandemics. Dr. Gall is a Six Sigma Green Belt and has a Certification in Business Analytics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. __Sources__ 1\. Health Disparities. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/disparities/index.htm](https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/disparities/index.htm) 2\. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities — Before and During the Pandemic. U.S. Government Accountability Office. September 28, 2021. [https://www.gao.gov/blog/racial-and-ethnic-health-disparities-and-during-pandemic](https://www.gao.gov/blog/racial-and-ethnic-health-disparities-and-during-pandemic) 3\. A Framework for Eliminating Health Disparities Using Telehealth. American Telemedicine Association. 2021. 4\. Advancing Broadband Connectivity as a Social Determinant of Health. Federal Communication Commission. [https://www.fcc.gov/health/SDOH](https://www.fcc.gov/health/SDOH) 5\. Affordable Connectivity Program. Federal Communications Commission. [https://www.fcc.gov/affordable-connectivity-program](https://www.fcc.gov/affordable-connectivity-program) 6\. Schroeder M. Increasing connectivity to address health disparities requires more than expanding broadband access. MedCity News. March 30, 2022. [https://medcitynews.com/2022/03/building-connectivity-beyond-the-broadband-expansion-to-address-health-disparities/](https://medcitynews.com/2022/03/building-connectivity-beyond-the-broadband-expansion-to-address-health-disparities/) 7\. Dyrda L. Novant's ROI for 2 key digital investments. Becker's Health IT. February 13, 2023. [https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/novants-roi-for-2-key-digital-investments.html](https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/novants-roi-for-2-key-digital-investments.html) ## Let's chat. 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