Mainebiz

V O L . X X V I I N O. I JA N UA R Y 1 1 , 2 0 2 1 16 been viewed by many as a safe haven for remote workers. But in a state where broadband has yet to reach some rural areas, being "remote" has its limitations. With new residents moving in and home prices skyrocketing, Maine is scram- bling to fill the digital divide between more populous areas and rural areas. Recent initiatives to address the chal- lenge include a $15 million state bond issue and new ConnectME grants, to expand broadband service in rural Maine. For 2021, two experts in the field say they're optimistic about continued expansion, but also note a focus on digi- tal equity and inclusion is needed. Kerem Durdag, president and COO of Biddeford broadband carrier GWI, predicts that, at the federal level, the Biden administration will build on exist- ing broadband expansion activities and perhaps accelerate it. "ere will be a new FCC com- missioner, who will probably choose to focus on new elements, or evolve what is already in the pipeline, though that remains to be seen," Durdag says. "At the same time, there have been numer- ous conversations at the federal level about funds being made available via the stimulus bill or another standalone infrastructure bill. We believe there is a good possibility that such funds will be available, though obviously there is no guarantee of such happening and, given the situation in Washington, such things are always challenging." Susan Corbett, founder and direc- tor of the National Digital Equity Center in Machias and member of the ConnectMaine Authority board, says the Obama administration recognized the importance of broadband expansion, digital equity and digital inclusion — a signal she's hopeful will carry through in the Biden administration. At the state level, she adds, she's optimistic about the Mills administration's similar stance. "e pandemic highlighted the digital divide in Maine," Corbett says. "We have to be bold." Durdag says the state approach is "forward-leaning, engaged and active." As the broadband bond winds its way through rule-making and eligibility requirement determination, additional initiatives, he notes, include continued CARES funding to connect kids who have not had access due to financial circumstances; a statewide internet speed test; and ConnectME's estab- lishment of a more-robust workflow to process infrastructure and planning grant applications. "My sense is you will continue to see state leadership stay very active in this regard," he says. H E A LT H CA R E An embattled industry faces more battles ahead B y W i l l i a m H a l l A s 2021 begins, COVID-19 contin- ues to upend nearly every type of business in Maine. But perhaps none have been affected as much as the health care industry. Almost overnight, hospitals, clin- ics and other providers have become ground zero in the greatest public health crisis of a century. Doctors, nurses and countless other health care workers have been hailed as heroes. It's now clear that the demands on health care won't abate any time soon. Meanwhile, three trends are likely to influence health care delivery and health care insurance in Maine over the year ahead. 1. The challenges of labor supply and demand will continue and probably grow worse: As Mainebiz has fre- quently reported, the state is grappling with a shortage of health care workers that preceded the pandemic. But the crisis has only aggravated the gap. In addition to needing more per- sonnel in general, hospitals and other providers desperately lack people with specialized abilities. 2. Vaccine administration will be a huge undertaking: e launch of COVID- 19 vaccines has been welcome news. But the rollout has been slower than expected. And experts say the vaccines may not make a meaningful impact on the pandemic until the summer or fall. But scattershot availability could cre- ate bottlenecks preventing the state from inoculating enough people to achieve "herd immunity." While vaccines have gone to hospitals, pharmacies, home health services and EMS providers, the industry is pushing for community health clinics to also begin immunizing. Other sites are needed too. Wherever the shots are given, they'll require significant time and resources. Two doses of vaccine are necessary, which could create record-keeping burdens. And Maine has a population of 1.34 million people, only about 3% have been inoculated so far. 3. Telehealth is here to stay: e use of remote tech- nologies to deliver medical care has become big business during the pandemic but is more than a passing fad. One indication of how telehealth has caught on: Before the pandemic, the Medicare program provided 13,000 vir- tual medical visits each week throughout the country, but by the end or April the number had shot to 1.7 million. It's expected telehealth will continue to be a large part of the delivery system even after people return to in-person care settings. Remote technologies will play an especially vital role in Maine, where great distances often separate patients and providers. "It's been an absolute revolution, just since last spring," Joanne Rawlings- Sekunda of the Maine Bureau of Insurance said at the 2020 Mainebiz Health Care Forum, held virtually in December. H I G H E R E D U CAT I O N Grooming well-prepared, resilient and tenacious graduates B y R e n e e C o r d e s N o matter how the academic year ends for Maine's colleges and uni- versities, the widespread use of technol- ogy for remote instruction will long outlast the pandemic. "If there is a silver lining to be found in the tragedy of the COVID-19 pan- demic, it is how our important work in this area will expand educational access and solve the attainment chal- lenges we face in many of our rural Maine communities — especially if the anticipated investments in broadband materialize," says University of Maine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy, Connecticut's former governor. Besides overseeing Maine's larg- est educational enterprise made up of seven universities serving nearly 30,000 students, Malloy led a group that drafted last fall's plan for safely reopening the state's 38 institutions of higher learning. Malloy notes that the UMaine System's science-informed safe return to campus last fall was among the country's best, and predicts that Maine's public universities will also lead when it comes to deploying the vaccine. At the same time, he is bracing for new challenges following pandemic- related disruptions to the college aspirations of last spring's high school graduates. "Public higher education has no more urgent task in 2021," he says, "than to work with parents and » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y U N I V E R S I T Y O F M A I N E S Y S T E M UMaine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy, right If there is a silver lining to be found in the tragedy of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is how our important work in this area will expand educational access and solve the attainment challenges we face in many of our rural Maine communities. — Dannel Malloy University of Maine System P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y G W I F I L E P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y A X I O M GWI President and COO Kerem Durdag F O C U S Susan Corbett, founder and director of the National Digital Equity Center

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