Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) Director of Virtual Care and Telehealth Chris Meyer has been named to Governor Tony Evers’ Task Force on Broadband Access. The task force, created by
executive order on July 14, is charged with researching and recommending broadband policies and initiatives that can strategically increase access throughout the state.
The 24-member task force will provide an annual report each June 30 to the Governor and state Legislature.
“Consumer access to high quality broadband was a known barrier to the growth of telehealth well before the COVID-19 pandemic,” Meyer tells
The Valued Voice. “As the world quickly embraced telehealth as a means to access health care services, the lack of reliable and sufficient broadband was a barrier to many patients – particularly in rural areas – to completing two-way video visits in their home.
“Marshfield Clinic Health System is committed to delivering the highest quality care to all of our patients and ensuring that the care is affordable and accessible,” Meyer said. “MCHS has worked with communities to help them expand broadband access but it is clear that a statewide and even national approach is required to achieve universal access to internet services. The creation of the Governor’s Task Force is an important first step toward closing the digital divide between urban and rural areas of Wisconsin.”
The task force includes bipartisan legislators from both the State Assembly and State Senate as well as representatives of utilities, tech companies, local governments and other entities with an interest in expansion of broadband availability. Its first meeting will be later this summer.