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March 11,2011
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The Honorable Julius Genachowski
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554
Dear Chairman Genachowski:
As you are aware, Alaska is facing great challenges, especially in its most rural areas.
In Alaska, due to severe geographical and logistical hurdles, most projects cost more and
take longer to implement. Such was the case for the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation
(YKHC) and General Communication, Inc. (GCI) as they endeavored to expand YKHC's
telemedicine infrastructure in late 2008 and early 2009. Unfortunately, due to the unforgiving
climate in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, the rollout of YKHC's and GCI's new telemedicine
infrastructure was delayed. Consequently, we would like to encourage you to promptly act on
YKHC's and GCl's requests to review the Universal Service Administrative Company's
(USAC) denial of nearly $1.6 million in reimbursements for rural health care
telecommunications services.
YKHC is an Alaska Native regional health care provider which is the sole source of
health care to nearly 47 rural Alaskan communities. Since most of these communities do not
have resident doctors or nurses, most diagnostic and treatment support comes from doctors
in Bethel, Alaska, a regional hub of about 5,000 residents and home to the only hospital in
the area. YKHC's telemedicine services-- which include everything from the reviewing EKG's
of chest pain patients to prOViding prpfessional counseling to Alaska Native soldiers returning
from Iraq and Afghanistan -- are leading examples of the benefits advanced broadband
networks can bring to rural America. Without these services, patients in these small villages
would either go untreated or, in many cases, be forced to charter air service to the nearest
doctor, atthe cost of thousands of dollars. .
In 2008, YKHC began to upgrade and expand its telemedicine infrastructure. This
project required the installation of higher-capacity, terrestrial broadband and the installation of
high definition video monitors. While the broadband linkages were installed on time, the
installation of the high definition monitors was unavoidably delayed. This delay occurred
because of YKHC's inability to locate an electrician who was willing to go the Villages and
because severe weather conditions often prevented flights into these villages. Ultimately,
YKHC was only able to solve the problem by recruiting electricians in the military services to
install the electrical connections during their Arctic Care training exercises. Even these
electricians were hampered by bad weather that continually limited and delayed their travel.
PAINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
In 2010, nearly two years after services were rendered, USAC reviewed YKHC's
contracts and declined to fund the full service provided by GCI to YKHC for the time before
the high definition monitors were installed. While we do not take a position on the merits of
YKHC's and GCI's requests for review, we hope the Commission strongly considers the
unique challenges encountered when installing and delivering advanced communications
services and applications in rural Alaska. Overall, not only does weather severely shorten
the Alaskan construction season, but also these remote areas lack roads and other
infrastructure commonly found throughout much of the Lower 48.
Thank you in advance for expeditiously reviewing this matter and for taking into
account the unique challenges of serving rural Alaska. We await your prompt response.
Sincerely,
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The Honorable Lisa Murkowski The HonorableMar~h
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