By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: FCC Names New Director of Healthcare Initiatives
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Mobile Health > FCC Names New Director of Healthcare Initiatives
Mobile HealthPolicy & LawPublic Health

FCC Names New Director of Healthcare Initiatives

Gary Levin MD
Gary Levin MD
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

At a time when mobile health initiatives and mobile apps are flooding the market, the Federal Communications Commission has shown enough interest to appointMatthew Quinn as Director of Healthcare Initiatives.  “In this role, Quinn leads the agency’s efforts in facilitating and promoting communications technologies and services that improve the quality of health care for all citizens and help reduce health care costs; facilitating the availability of medical devices that use spectrum; and e

At a time when mobile health initiatives and mobile apps are flooding the market, the Federal Communications Commission has shown enough interest to appointMatthew Quinn as Director of Healthcare Initiatives.  “In this role, Quinn leads the agency’s efforts in facilitating and promoting communications technologies and services that improve the quality of health care for all citizens and help reduce health care costs; facilitating the availability of medical devices that use spectrum; and ensuring hospitals and other health care facilities have required connectivity. In addition, Quinn advises the FCC on health issues, working closely with the team overhauling the $400 million Rural Health Care program, and coordinating with federal partners including the NIH and the FDA, and with the private health care sector to develop effective FCC programs related to healthcare technology.”

Mr. Quinn will have expanding responsibilities at his new position. FCC is currently working on health initiatives to improve and enhance wireless communications and broadband connectivity nationwide. Projects include the Healthcare Connect Fund to expand telemedicine and revising its experimental licensing program to open more pathways for mobile healthcare app development.

This quiet appointment which occurred in April comes at a time when wireless technology is critical, because both  wifi and cellular systems will be essential for health information technology. It becomes one more step for FCC oversight of it’s authority over the radio-frequency spectrum.

More Read

Midwifery Training: The Whats and Hows of Birthing Simulators
How 12 Million are Putting “The Big C” Behind Them
How Can an Android Development Company Make a Difference to Hospitals?
Social Media and Telehealth
Report: Obama’s Hopes for Reform on Global Scale Falls Short on Initial Goals

“The incumbent will lead the agency’s efforts in facilitating and promoting communications technologies and services that improve the quality of health care for all citizens and help reduce health care costs; facilitating the availability of medical devices that use spectrum; and ensuring hospitals and other health care facilities have required connectivity,” the posting read.

The job description includes advising the FCC on health issues, providing guidance to the team overhauling the $400 million Rural Health Care program, working with other government bodies like the NIH and the FDA, and working with the private health care sector to develop effective FCC programs.

The job description includes advising the FCC on health issues, providing guidance to the team overhauling the $400 million Rural Health Care program, working with other government bodies like the NIH and the FDA, and working with the private health care sector to develop effective FCC programs.

The West Health Institute’s director of public policy Kerry McDermott was the last person to head up health care initiatives for the FCC.  McDermott previously led the FCC’s healthcare efforts and helped Mo Kaushal and Spencer Hutchins write the healthcare chapter in the FCC’s National Broadband Plan. Following the National Broadband Plan’s publication all three of them left the FCC to join the then-named West Wireless Health Institute. In 2011 the American Telemedicine Association published an open letter to the FCC criticizing the agency for going “silent” on healthcare since the publication of its National Broadband Plan in early 2010. In its letter the ATA also noted “the departure of every key professional staff from the Commission involved in healthcare policy.”

Last September the FCC held a public briefing this week with its mHealth Task Force, which formed in June 2012 to gather input from healthcare professionals and technologists to create a report full of “concrete” next steps that the FCC (and other agencies) can take to facilitate the adoption and acceleration of mHealth in the United States. One of the task force’s key suggestions was that the FCC hire a new healthcare director immediately.

My impression is that this is a low level appointment designed to give the appearance of FCC engagement in health.  It seems to be a redundant position one which is less necessary than FDA guidance for mobile health apps.

TAGGED:broadbandfadFCChealthHealth ITHITrural broadband initiativerural health programtelehealthtelemedicineWiFi
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

ePatients
Global HealthcareHealth ReformHospital AdministrationMedical EducationMedical InnovationsMedical RecordsMobile HealthPublic HealthRemote DiagnosticsSocial Media

ePatients: What’s the Big Deal?

March 15, 2013

Doctors 2.0 and You: Conference, Community, and Medical Association #doctors20

July 22, 2015
Angelina Jolie breast cancer
DiagnosticsMedical EthicsPolicy & LawPublic HealthWellness

Angelina Jolie, BRCA1, Public Health and Patent Law

May 18, 2013

Medtech is Dead. Long Live Medtech.

May 13, 2016
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?