Digital Navigation in Health Care

Digital health applications, from tele-mental health services to remote patient monitoring to health portals, have the promise of improving people’s access to health care. But in order to ensure that patients can benefit from these advances in technology, they need robust, affordable internet connections, devices, and the skills to use these technologies safely. Our work at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is focused on ensuring that everyone can use and benefit from broadband. Our recent research on the Human Infrastructure of Broadband, the people who help connect others to the internet, has identified the need for sustainable, scalable models to integrate digital support into other services. Through the Marjorie & Charles Benton Opportunity Fund, we were excited to support Mass General Brigham’s Digital Access Coordinator program, particularly its work on this playbook. The Digital Access Coordinator Program Playbook is a vital resource for those working to bridge the digital divide in health care, ensuring that all patients—regardless of language, technical familiarity, or socioeconomic background—can fully engage with their health information and providers.