Even though about 20% of Americas population lives in rural communities, less than 10% of physicians practice in these communities. Investment in telemedicine, mobile health, and other digital tools to increase connectivity between communities and clinics is on the rise, and can help address geographic disparities in access to healthcare.
Qualcomm Inc. designs and markets wireless telecommunications products and services. Through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative Wireless Reach, the company collaborates with nonprofits, governments, and other private sector companies to bring wireless technologies to underserved communities. Since 2011, it has been working with a health system in rural Arizona, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and several other private companies to help reduce readmissions and healthcare costs through remote patient monitoring for heart failure patients.
The NIH-led evaluation demonstrated that Qualcomms solution led to measurable reductions in costs, improved health outcomes, and doubled as a commercially viable product.
Read about how Qualcomm is generating Shared Value through mobile technology here, and how businesses can create Shared Value between population health and business profitability in “Beyond the Four Walls: Why Community is Critical to Workforce Health”.
How can companies tailor their community investments to their core business competencies? Wed love to hear from you, either below or on social media at @VitalityInst and using #Beyond4Walls
Thumbnail image credit: CTIA – The Wireless Association, on YouTube
