Alaska and Hawaii have signed an agreement to develop a plan to expand and further develop health care programs in the Pacific region using telecommunications technology, the AP/Anchorage Daily News reports.
The partnership involves the University of Hawaii and the Alaska Federal Health Care Partnership, a group of organizations that aims to improve patient care for Alaska residents.
Sven-Erik Bursell of the University of Hawaii's Telehealth Research Institute said the two states' remote and rural settings present a challenge to health care providers. The cooperative agreement will focus on telehealth initiatives to:
- Prevent sickness;
- Promote good health; and
- Treat illnesses (AP/Anchorage Daily News, 2/4).