joining us on "the communicators" at the site of the fcc's's mhealth innovation expo is matt quinn, director of health care initiatives for the fcc. welcome. >> guest: thank you. >> host: why is the fcc involved in these matters? >> guest: we're involved in lots of ways in health care and in mobile health. one of the ways that we're involved is that we had an mhealth task force last year say here are some ways that fcc can provide leadership in this area. we have a equipment certification program. so, basically, any piece of equipment that uses spectrum as a transmitter we approve as an agency. the other side is that we allocate spectrum. so spectrum is the oxygen on which mobile devices run, whether they be mobile devices for health or other areas. but in a more important sense, we have to collaborate and coordinate with both other federal agencies, but also with the private sector in helping entrepreneurs and innovators get to market. >> host: so let's take those three points that you made. spectrum, we think about it on the cell phone and other technologies. how do these devices depend on

theing me at the site of fcc mobile health innovation expo is matt quinn. involved incc these matters? >> one of the ways that we are mhelved is that we had the alth task force say that here are some of the ways that the fcc can provide leadership. we have certification programs. any piece of equipment

theing me at the site of fcc mobile health innovation expo is matt quinn. involved incc these matters? >> one of the ways that we are mhelved is that we had the alth task force say that here are some of the ways that the fcc can provide leadership. we have certification programs. any piece of equipment used as a transmitter will be approved. the other side is that we allocate the effort. spectrum is where mobile devices run. more collective sense, we have to collaborate and coordinate with other federal agencies but also with the private sector in helping innovators get to market. , we think about it on the cell phone or other technologies. how does it relate to health care? there is something called the fcc provided mband.ed spectrum for allows monitoring without injuries of monitors. allocated spectrum . another way that we support innovation is with medical micropower networks. they need to have a spot on the spectrum or else there may be interference. sectionere a special spectrum just for medical devices? >> everything has its but. its spot.-- bluetoot

. >> matt quinn, what is the fcc roles in privacy is security? >> we are not the lead enforcement in enforcing hippa. we work on the requirements for electronic health records. we have not staked out a specific rule. >> hipa is? >> the health insurance portability act which the law of the land for privacy and security and expediting transactions. >> you talked about working with partners. talk about the partnership and how you keep from getting in each other's way? >> we understand what we do. a lot of my first few months has been explaining and how we are involved in health care. the most commonly misunderstood part where we are involved is we subsidize broadband for rural organizations. we are trying to make broadband affordable for rural and urban providers and everybody in between. this aligns with efforts by medicare and other folks to connect people. explaining that to them and how the health care connect fund can support their effort is a real eyeopener. i spend every thursday afternoon at the fda talking through thing and we have meetings