Executive Committee
Dee Cure Chairman
Jim Beeler Vice Chairman
Mary Hein Secretary
Linda Roth Treasurer
Keith Mismer Member at Large

Rural Members
Chevenne County Hospital
Colorado Plains Medical Center
East Morgan County Hospital
Haxtun Hospital District
Hays Medical Center
Keefe Memorial Hospital
Kit Carson Memorial Hospital
Lincoln Community Hospital
Melissa Memorial Hospital
Memorial Health Center
Prowers Medical Center
Rawlins County Hospital

Urban Members
HealthONE
Penrose St Francis Healthcare System,
Poudre Valley Hospital
Proventant St Anthony Hospital Central
Saint Joseph Hospital
Saint Mary Corwin

Staff
Thomas Loran Executive Director
Kay Thiel Operations Manager
Bryan Nation Telemedicine Manager
Lee Greer, Clinical Coordinator
Ryan Wiest Information Specialist
Jennifer White LAN Administrator

High Plains Rural Health
Network is a not-for-profit
agency sponsored by funding
from the Office of Rural Health
Policy an agency of
the United States Government
and by comtinuing support of members dues
An Equal Access Telemedicine Provider

Cooperation Before Competition

April 5, 1996

International Transciption Service
2100 M Street, Room 140
Washington, D.C. 20554

Dear Sir/Madame

We at High Plains Rural Health Network wish to present the following Informal Comments regarding Universal Services:

1) We would add one more principle (in Section 254) relating to obligations toward rural, insular, and high-cost areas and low-income consumers: In addition to

a. providing quality services at just, reasonable, and affordable rates,

b. providing access to advanced telecommunications and information services in all regions of the Nation, and

c. providing access to telecommunications and information services to consumers in

we would suggest that these services should be provided in a timely fashion, e.g. "in a timeframe comparable to installing services in an urban area."

We feel that unless the issue of an installation timetable is addressed, the rural and frontier areas will be regarded much as they have been up to the current time; in other words, their needs and/or requests won't be considered a priority to the telecommunications service providers.

____________________

218 East Kiowa Avenue . P.O. Box 575 Fort Morgan, Colorado 80701 Phone: 970-867-6195 . Fax: 970-867-5579

2) We would like to address the definition of "rural."

It is necessary to include "frontier" designation, where the population is less than 6 per square mile. Further, any county designated as frontier should be considered rural regardless of the size of population centers in the county. These areas are particularly isolated and deficient in services and as a result their residents are especially vulnerable in the event of a medical emergency. These areas also tend to be the last to be considered for improvement of services or infrastructure.

We welcome further discussion. Please do not hesitate to call if you have questions.

Thank you,

Lee Green, RN
Clinical Coordinator

HIGH PLAINS