Carriers of healthcare's load of information

As the market for telemedicine products and services expands, many long distance telecommunications carriers and regional Bell operating companies developed strategies for meeting healthcare's needs. Some initiated projects to display their capabilities or to receive returns on investments in telecommunications infrastructures. Their capabilities and use of advanced technologies vary. The level of their healthcare commitment and involvement also varies. Regional Bell companies compete fiercely with each other and with national carriers for consulting and implementation contracts, unrestricted by service area boundaries. On the following pages, representatives from most of the major telecommunications carriers express their firms' healthcare strategies and offer synopses of their notable healthcare projects. For many, their resources are vast, their expertise undisputed. Access to high-quality healthcare services stands to benefit from their involvement.