In part one of this extra episode, Disconnected: A Conversation about Health Care, Broadband, Access and Economics, Michelle is joined by award-winning journalists Caresse Jackman and Sarah Jane Tribble.
Sarah Jane Tribble is the lead reporter on the rural health desk of KFF Health News. She created the organization’s first narrative podcast, “Where It Hurts,” about the closure of a rural Kansas hospital. An Emmy winner, she has received honors for her work from the National Press Club, the National Institute for Health Care Management, and the Association of Health Care Journalists.
Caresse Jackman is an award-winning national consumer investigative reporter with InvestigateTV/Gray Media based in Washington DC. Prior to InvestigateTV, she was a Consumer Investigative Reporter at WSMV-TV in Nashville. Caresse is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, Investigative Reporter and Editors, the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Their conversation explores the critical issues surrounding rural health, particularly the impact of broadband access on telehealth services. Sarah Jane and Caresse discuss their investigative work highlighting the struggles faced by rural communities in accessing healthcare due to inadequate internet connectivity. They share personal stories from individuals affected by these challenges and emphasize the need for funding and infrastructure improvements to address these disparities. The discussion also touches on the intersection of health, food insecurity, and economic implications for rural areas.
Part two of this episode features a conversation between Michelle, and Vice President of Policy and Industry Innovation at NTCA- The Rural Broadband Association, Joshua Seidemann. In his role, Joshua focuses on Federal regulatory issues as well as technology and market trends affecting the rural telecom industry. He leads research initiatives for Smart Rural CommunitySM, promoting inter-industry collaboration to deploy broadband-enabled applications to improve agriculture, education, health care and other sectors. Josh is the staff liaison for the NTCA Innovation and Business Opportunity Committee and has served on industry bodies administered by the FCC and National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Michelle and Joshua discuss the ongoing challenges of rural broadband access in the United States, particularly in light of the digital divide and the impact on healthcare. They explore the economic factors contributing to dead zones, the importance of federal funding, and innovative programs aimed at improving connectivity for rural communities. The conversation emphasizes the need for advocacy and community engagement to ensure equitable access to broadband as a fundamental utility.
The Rural Impact is pleased to welcome The American Heart Association as a sponsor for this and future episodes! Here's why!
The AHA believes that everyone, no matter where they live, deserves access to high-quality care. That's why they created the Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator, a program designed to help rural hospitals improve cardiovascular care and patient outcomes. The Rural Accelerator provides no-cost access to quality improvement programs, data-driven insights, learning collaboratives, recognition opportunities, and expert-guided education to support 1000 rural hospitals nationwide in delivering evidence-based care.
Rural hospitals play a critical role in their communities. Enroll today and join the movement to improve rural heart health.
Visit www.heart.org/ruralaccelerator to learn more.
To find the resources referenced in the show visit:
> https://www.investigatetv.com/2025/04/09/dead-zone-rural-hospitals-patients-are-disconnected-modern-care/
> https://www.investigatetv.com/2025/03/10/millions-us-live-places-where-doctors-dont-practice-telehealth-doesnt-reach/
> https://www.smartruralcommunity.org/
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