Geographic Disparities in Access to Broadband, Ambulance Services, and Health Care and Implications for Telehealth

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Explores the degree to which populated areas, including rural areas, lack the sufficient broadband infrastructure needed to support telehealth services, referred to as broadband deserts. Presents data on the number and percentage of rural residents who live in broadband deserts. Describes the intersection of broadband deserts with areas with limited access to prehospital ambulance services (ambulance deserts) and hospitals and clinics (healthcare deserts) by state.

Celia Jewell, Heidi O'Connor, Thomas E. Griffin, et al.

JAMA Health Forum, 7(9), e263290

09/2026

Access · Broadband · County-by-county data · Emergency medical services · Hospitals · Infrastructure · Rural-urban differences · State-by-state data · State-by-state