Dr. Saurin Patel, the chief medical officer at Access Physicians, has been appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Governor’s Broadband Development Council, which is intended to provide rural areas increased access to broadband internet.
Access Physicians is a telemedicine company that helps hospitals connect with physicians, and has been endorsed by the Texas Hospital Association and the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals. The growth of telehealth has expanded healthcare access to rural areas, but a strong internet connection is a a pre-requisite for most telehealth systems, especially companies that use video conferencing.
“I’m honored to be appointed to the council to bring to the forefront the needs, challenges and opportunities facing rural health care in Texas,” said Patel, an internal medicine physician, via release. “I’ve seen firsthand the power of telemedicine to be the difference between life and death for rural patients and how collaborative partnerships between rural hospitals and our telemedicine operation can mean the difference between closure and remaining open to meet the health care needs of local residents.”
