Telecommunications

Racial Equity
blog
Equity in Research, North Korean Instability, Traffic Stops: RAND Weekly Recap
Jul 9, 2021
This weekly recap focuses on how RAND applies an equity lens to research, instability in North Korea, what police think about traffic stops, and more.
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Mental Health Treatment
commentary
How COVID-19 Lessons Can Transform U.S. Mental Health Care
Ryan K. McBain
Jun 2, 2021
The Hill
It would be a powerful conclusion to the pandemic if Americans reimagined a health system that was resilient against future threats, including the resulting psychological trauma. Policymakers have the opportunity now to cut short the pandemic's long tail of mental illness by taking decisive action.
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Telemedicine
commentary
No Patient Left Behind: Considering Equitable Distribution of Telehealth
Rama A. Salhi, Mahshid Abir, Bisan A. Salhi
Apr 20, 2021
Health Affairs Blog
The pandemic has revealed telemedicine's potential to improve health care delivery and access. Telemedicine could help reach patients who would normally be excluded or alienated by the traditional structure of the health system.
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Vaccination
blog
Game Theory to Help the Vaccine Rollout, Abraham Accords, Telehealth: RAND Weekly Recap
Mar 19, 2021
This weekly recap focuses on how game theory can help the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, potential economic benefits of the Abraham Accords, telemedicine use during the pandemic, and more.
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Telemedicine
commentary
The Doctor Will Call Me Maybe: The Uncertain Future of Audio-Only Visits and Why We Need Them to Address Disparities
Lori Uscher-Pines, Maggie Jones, Jessica L. Sousa, Zachary Predmore, Allison J. Ober
Mar 12, 2021
Health Affairs
Audio-only health care visits have been instrumental in maintaining access to care during the pandemic. Despite this, coverage for audio-only visits is likely temporary. Devaluing and prematurely casting off a key telemedicine modality could mean the difference between a needed doctor visit and no visit at all.
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Employment and Unemployment
blog
Unemployment Insurance, Domestic Extremists, Housing Insecurity: RAND Weekly Recap
Feb 5, 2021
This weekly recap focuses on what the pandemic has revealed about America's unemployment system, why stopping domestic extremism will be difficult, how housing insecurity may affect sleep, and more.
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Domestic Terrorism
blog
Political Violence, COVID-19 Vaccine Questions, Mental Health Care: RAND Weekly Recap
Jan 15, 2021
This weekly recap focuses on why we need to brace for more political violence after the Capitol attack, COVID-19 vaccine questions and answers, how to reform the U.S. mental health system, and more.
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Telemedicine
commentary
Patients Log On to See Their Own Doctors During the Pandemic
Shira H. Fischer @ShiraFischer, Joshua Breslau @JoshuaBreslau
Jan 7, 2021
The RAND Blog
Telehealth use has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Can this form of high-quality, low-cost care be maintained over the long term? As discussion of post-pandemic policies begins, lessons from patients' use of telehealth will provide valuable guidance.
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Educational Equity
commentary
Teleworking During the COVID-19 Pandemic Highlights Educational Inequity
Jason M. Ward
Dec 23, 2020
The RAND Blog
The ability to telework is associated with both reduced risk of COVID-19 infection and with significantly lower risk of job loss. There are large disparities in who is able to telework by race and ethnicity—but even larger ones by educational attainment.
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Health Care Quality Measurement
commentary
What Influences Quality Improvement Processes in Health Care?
Gemma-Claire Ali, Emily Ryen Gloinson, Sonja Marjanovic @SonjaCambs
Nov 10, 2020
The RAND Blog
Periods of rapid change offer both opportunities and challenges for health care quality improvement. Understanding the building blocks that need to be in place to support improvement processes may help those seeking to embed improvement capabilities and capacity into their organisations, both as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
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Mental Health Treatment
commentary
College Students Need Mental Health Support
Lisa Sontag-Padilla
Oct 12, 2020
The RAND Blog
Rising mental health problems in the United States have long made health advocates and providers worried about the need for additional support for struggling college students. The pandemic has only exacerbated this concern.
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Health Care Cost Inflation
blog
Health Care Price Transparency, COVID-19 Vaccinations, Gun Laws: RAND Weekly Recap
Sep 25, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on what private health plans pay compared to what Medicare pays, when COVID-19's global spread really began, laws that could reduce firearm deaths, and more.
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Homeless Populations
commentary
Access to Mobile Technology Could Help to Alleviate LA's Homelessness Crisis
Sarah B. Hunter, Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand, Benjamin Henwood
Sep 16, 2020
The RAND Blog
The vast majority of people experiencing homelessness have cell phones, which often serve as their lifelines. Providing technological supports, such as Wi-Fi access and opportunities to charge devices, could result in better access to social services and, ultimately, better quality of life and outcomes.
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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
blog
The Evidence on Kids and COVID-19, China's Use of Big Data, Telemedicine: RAND Weekly Recap
Sep 4, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on what we know (and what we don't) about kids and COVID-19, how China is using big data, the future of telemedicine, and more.
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Telemedicine
essay
What Telemedicine Needs to Succeed Beyond COVID-19
Sep 2, 2020
Virtual doctor visits have become part of the new normal. Since the first COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, Medicare and other payers have relaxed their rules to make it easier for patients to connect to care. But without permanent policy changes, physicians may not continue telemedicine services.
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Democracy
blog
Summer Reading List for Congress
Aug 18, 2020
During the August recess Hill staff should have an opportunity to step back from the fast pace of votes and hearing preparation to examine priorities for the fall and beyond. This list of must-read research and commentary covers some policy issues they will likely be addressing after the break.
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Telemedicine
commentary
Moving on from Telehealth-by-Desperation: What Will Make Telehealth Stick
Lori Uscher-Pines
Aug 18, 2020
Health Affairs Blog
During the COVID-19 pandemic telehealth has helped to maintain continuity of care for millions of Americans, preserve personal protective equipment, and facilitate social distancing. But that does not mean that telehealth will be embraced by patients and providers in the long run.
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China
blog
China in 2050, Using Mobile Tools to Track COVID-19, Telemedicine: RAND Weekly Recap
Jul 31, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on the future of U.S.-China competition, privacy concerns surrounding mobile tools used to track COVID-19, how telemedicine can help patients access specialized care, and more.
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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
blog
A Message from Our President and CEO, America's Wealth Gap, Disinformation: RAND Weekly Recap
Jun 5, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on doing more to address systemic inequalities and structural racism, paying the bills during COVID-19, America's growing wealth gap, and more.
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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
blog
What Happens When States Reopen, Truth Decay, Telemedicine: RAND Weekly Recap
May 22, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on the health and economic consequences of states reopening, the dangers of Truth Decay during the coronavirus crisis, helping refugees, and more.
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Workplace Well-Being
commentary
It Is More Important Than Ever for Employers to Look After Staff Health and Wellbeing
Christian Van Stolk
Apr 9, 2020
The RAND Blog
COVID-19 will likely have a direct effect on the health and wellbeing of employees. While many employers responding to the COVID-19 crisis have understandably been concerned with business resilience, processes, and performance, it is important that they also continue to focus on the health and wellbeing of staff.
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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
commentary
During Coronavirus Pandemic, Can Congress Members Do Their Jobs by Teleworking?
Quentin E. Hodgson @QHodgson
Apr 6, 2020
Fox News Channel
The COVID-19 pandemic presents a new challenge to how Congress conducts business. How can the United States leverage existing technologies so lawmakers can continue to work safely and securely?
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Workforce Management
commentary
Should the Federal Workforce Stay Remote? Planning for After the Crisis
Kathryn A. Edwards @keds_economist, Melanie A. Zaber @MelanieZaber, Richard S. Girven
Apr 3, 2020
The RAND Blog
As physical distancing becomes the new norm, so too does telework. But should federal agencies maintain their remote operations for the long haul? As those of us involved with national security agencies, operations, and workforce issues know, this is not a decision to make lightly.
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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
blog
Experts Discuss COVID-19: RAND Weekly Recap
Mar 20, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on COVID-19, how the United States is responding to the coronavirus outbreak, the spread of misinformation during this time, and more.
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Telemedicine
commentary
Coronavirus, Telemedicine, and Dustbusters
Ateev Mehrotra, Lori Uscher-Pines
Mar 16, 2020
The RAND Blog
Telemedicine has been with us for decades. And yet it hasn't transformed health care in the way that ATMs have transformed banking or cordless vacuums have transformed household cleaning. But the coronavirus pandemic could forever change how telemedicine is used.
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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
q&a
Coronavirus Outbreak Intensifies: Q&A with RAND Experts
Mar 5, 2020
Cases of the coronavirus have now spread to several dozens of countries, infecting thousands and thousands of people across the globe. With concerns about the disease rising, we asked a group of RAND researchers to answer a wide range of questions about the crisis.
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Cybersecurity
commentary
Public Evidence of Huawei as a Cyber Threat May Be Elusive, but Restrictions Could Still Be Warranted
Timothy R. Heath
Mar 7, 2019
The Hill
Although a “smoking gun” of Huawei involvement in government-directed espionage remains elusive, the United States has compelling security and economic reasons to consider limiting the involvement of Chinese telecommunications companies in its domestic networks.
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Emergency Preparedness
commentary
Deadly Delay: Every Second Counts in Missile Defense
Daniel Gonzales @gonzadan, Sarah Harting
Jan 24, 2018
The Hill
The false alarm about a ballistic missile attack on Hawaii raises important questions. How much warning time would the public get before a missile hit? And how should the system be improved?
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Telemedicine
commentary
Telehealth Alone Won't Increase Health Care Access for the Underserved
Lori Uscher-Pines, Ateev Mehrotra
Dec 16, 2016
Health Affairs Blog
Telehealth can bring care into communities that have limited access to providers or facilities. But it must be integrated into a well-functioning system that can address the added needs that telehealth generates.
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Telemedicine
commentary
Paying for Telemedicine
Shira H. Fischer @ShiraFischer
Sep 3, 2015
The RAND Blog
Telehealth, delivering health services and information via technology, holds great promise. But more information is needed to determine what works and what doesn't.
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Emerging Technologies
blog
Snapchat CEO Discusses App's Appeal, Future of Digital Communication
Nov 20, 2014
With technology a persistent theme throughout RAND's biennial Politics Aside event, it was only fitting that the proceedings closed with a conversation on social media between Michael Lynton, CEO of Sony Pictures, and Evan Spiegel, the 24-year-old co-founder and CEO of Snapchat.
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Health Information Technology
commentary
How Technology Can Help Save Health Care Dollars
Jeffrey Wasserman
May 6, 2014
InsideSources
Devising methods to stimulate patients' use of computers, smart phones, and other technology to become more engaged in their health care could usher in an era in which better health is just a click or tap away.
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Health Information Technology
commentary
Physicians' Concerns About Electronic Health Records: Implications and Steps Towards Solutions
Mark W. Friedberg, F. Jay Crosson, Michael Tutty
Mar 12, 2014
Health Affairs Blog
If practicing physicians are correct, the current state of EHR technology has introduced several impediments to providing patient care, undermining physician professional satisfaction. Many of these problems also should be of great concern to patients.
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Health Care Workforce
commentary
Is There Really a Physician Shortage?
David I. Auerbach
Dec 6, 2013
The Health Care Blog
Large coverage expansions under the ACA have reignited concerns about physician shortages. These estimates result from models that forecast future supply and demand for physicians based on past trends and current practice. While useful exercises, they do not necessarily imply that intervening to boost physician supply would be worth the investment.
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Telecommunications
announcement
Paul Baran Named Internet Hall of Fame Pioneer
Apr 25, 2012
Paul Baran, who helped develop the building blocks of the Internet during the 1960s while working as a researcher at the RAND Corporation, was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame. He was honored posthumously in the Pioneers Circle with others who were instrumental in the early design and development of the Internet.
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