Chips Act Hires, Telehealth Key to Address Birth Mortality, Ookla Rates 5G in College Towns
The White House announced six hires to take charge of $52-billion semiconductor program.
September 20, 2022 – The White House announced Tuesday six new hires dedicated to implementing the $52-billion semiconductor incentive initiative as part of the Chips and Science Act, which was signed into law last month.
Aaron Chatterji will serve as White House coordinator at the National Economic Council; Michael Schmidt will serve as director of the CHIPS Program Office; Todd Fisher will be interim senior advisor; Eric Lin as interim director for the CHIPS Research and Development Office; Donna Dubinsky as senior counselor to the secretary for CHIPS implementation; and J.D. Grom as senior advisor to the secretary for CHIPS implementation.
“These leaders bring decades of experience in government, industry and the R&D space, with a special emphasis on standing up and implementing large-scale programs. Their work will be essential to bolstering our supply chains, spurring historic investments in research, strengthening our national security, and creating good-paying jobs for the American people.” said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
Report finds telehealth vital to address issues during birthing
A report from connectivity advocate Next Century Cities released Tuesday found telehealth provides a “critical point of intervention” in addressing the high mortality rate during birth in the country.
“Research has shown that access to reliable telehealth services during and post-pregnancy can help address issues faced by people with high-risk pregnancies and post-pregnancy health risks,” said Brittany-Rae Gregory, Next Century Cities communications director, in a press release, which added the U.S. has a mortality rate that “far surpasses” that of similar countries.
“Telehealth services increase the number of specialists, mental health workers, and birth workers such as doulas and midwives that birthing people have access to during and after their pregnancies. This is especially important for communities that are largely impacted by the ongoing maternal health crisis.”
The research on maternal health initiatives was conducted in three municipalities in Georgia, Indiana, and California, as a response to the COVID19 pandemic.
“Telehealth services increase the number of specialists, mental health workers, and birth workers such as doulas and midwives that birthing people have access to during and after their pregnancies. This is especially important for communities that are largely impacted by the ongoing maternal health crisis,” Gregory said.
The report recommends policymakers take into consideration improvements in digital access and literacy so telehealth is a viable option for patients across the country; cultural competency when providing telehealth across communities; and continue to assess telehealth technology as it relates to individual experiences and effectiveness.
The Federal Communications Commission has a $200-million Covid-19 telehealth program. Some providers have said more money is needed as telehealth demand grows.
Ookla rates 5G speeds in college towns
Metrics company Ookla released findings Thursday rating the best- and worst-connected college towns in the continental United States for 5G speeds during the second quarter.
Best-ranked 5G speeds included Auburn, Alabama; Manhattan, Kansas; Clemson, South Carolina; Troy, New York, and College Park, Maryland, with median download speeds of over 300 Megabits per second. Clemson led with a median download speed of 175.77 Mbps.
The worst-ranked towns, according to the report, were Bowling Green, Kentucky; Fayetteville, Arkansas; Blacksburg, Virginia; Cheney, Washington; and Morgantown, West Virginia. These speeds in these areas — while considered “sufficient” by Ookla for phone use – are considered not-so reliable if using the mobile connection for computer internet access.
Ookla is a sponsor of Broadband Breakfast.
