LAHARPE When it comes to rural broadband internet access, Kansas is the envy of the nation.
We are light years ahead of most other states, notes Shekinah Bailey, a field representative with the USDAs Rural Utility Service. North Dakota has done a massive build recently, and its catching up. But when we look at the number of miles of fiber per resident in rural areas, theres nowhere that comes close.
However, with all of its advantages in broadband infrastructure, Kansas lags behind other states when it comes to telemedicine and distance learning services, Bailey said.
For the past five years, Bailey has served three states in pursuing USDA funding for various telecommunications services.
He and telecommunications consultant Neil Sleevi highlighted a roundtable discussion Friday hosted by Harry Lee Jr. of LaHarpe Communications.
Lee invited a dozen representatives from different professional fields, all eager to explore outlets for increased telemedicine or distance learning services.
BAILEY compared Kansas to his other two service areas, Alaska and and now Maine.
Im the sea to shining sea CSR, he joked.
While the three states are worlds apart in many areas, all share a common desire to get the best bang for their bucks in improving lives with limited resources.
There are a lot of things I take from Kansas that they can use in Alaska and Maine, Bailey said. But there are a lot of things about Alaska and Maine that I want to bring to Kansas.
When it comes to Alaska, its amazing what theyre doing with distance education, even with very limited Internet service at times, Bailey said. Theres times in some communities they start to download a program for a presentation the night before, so they can provide the education the next day.
Even with those limitations, one rural fishing community in Alaska now has an online education program that offers more than 250 class options for a school with 242 students.
You have more class options than students, Bailey said. When you think about what they can do in rural Alaska, whats our excuse?
Meanwhile, Maine has developed Northern Light Health, an integrated healthcare system that provides telemedicine to eight hospitals and dozens of clinics up and down the state.
