CompuMed (OTCBB: CMPD) Could Boost Revenue with Grants

               The FCC has announced a two-year pilot program that would fund up to 85% of the costs for the design, construction and use of dedicated broadband networks in order to expand the availability and use of tele-health and tele-medicine, particularly in rural areas. Unlike existing rural health subsidy programs, this new program specifically contemplates that major urban health centers would be eligible to participate and receive funding if they include rural health care providers in the network.
One of the companies at the forefront of tele-medicine is CompuMed.  CompuMed has been a leading pioneer of tele-medicine, establishing one of the nation’s largest telecommunications networks for processing electrocardiograms (ECG’s) on a real time basis.  Broadband connectivity would increase the use of tele-medicine, which is covered by Medicare.  The use of such technology could not only provide a possible boost in revenue to CompuMed, but it would also loosen the perennial budgetary crisis that grips Medicare.

CompuMed, if positioned correctly, could stand to reap gains from the Grant Program, in that they already have a network established to read the ECG printouts.  New product lines that include internet productivity are said to be forthcoming, which would greater utilize the broadband access.  As the U.S. population continues to age and the coming retirement of baby boomers, access to healthcare will be vital.  CompuMed’s goal in this time should be to better position itself in the market, and to develop new product lines that take full advantage of the Internet.