Over the past 40 years, the Telecommunications and Social Informatics/Pacific Health Informatics and Data Center (TASI/PHIDC) Research Program aims focused on information communication technologies (ICT) for social and economic development in rural and remote communities. The program builds on a foundation of collaborative efforts in policy, planning, design and implementation through outreach, education, training and technical assistance in Hawai‘i and the Pacific Region.  

The Pan-Pacific Education and Communication Experiments by Satellite (PEACESAT) program is our foundational and hallmark program that ran from 1969 to 2012. The University of Hawaii served as the Network Headquarters and Administrators of the PEACESAT program that provided satellite communications to the Pacific Islands region though the dedicated use of satellites in support of distance learning, telehealth, emergency management communications. At the time, the University of Hawaii was the only educational institution in the world to operate a geostationary satellite for such purposes. It is from PEACESAT that our program developed well established relationships with communities, government and non-profits agencies in the Pacific Islands Region.

The program name was expanded to Telecommunications and Information Policy Group/Pan-Pacific Education and Communication Experiments by Satellite (TIPG/PEACESAT) due to program’s expanded scope in supporting efforts in Hawaii and the Pacific region in ICT development, planning, design and implementation of telecommunication systems and networks.  TIPG/PEACESAT also initiated and continue to administer a graduate certificate program in Telecommunication Information Resource Management (TIRM), which provides education and capacity building in ICT. 

To better reflect the interdisciplinary projects and activities TIPG/PEACESAT was renamed to Telecommunications and Social Informatics/ Pan-Pacific Education and Communication Experiments by Satellite (TASI/PEACESAT) Research Program. TASI/PEACESAT implemented electronic health record (EHR) systems, supported health information exchange (HIE) efforts, TASI/PEACESAT administered the State of Hawaii Telehealth Access Network (STAN) and supported other Pacific healthcare sector initiatives.  Two major projects initiated and managed by TASI/PEACESAT are the Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center and the Pacific International Training Desk. 

Over the decades, program priority changes and the emergence of endeavors in health claims and clinical data system efforts and data analytics the program evolved to the Telecommunications and Social Informatics/Pacific Health Informatics and Data Center (TASI/PHIDC) Research Program. 

Ongoing Project

2015 – Present: Hawai‘i Health Data Center

2013 – Present: Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center

2013 – Present: Pacific International Training Desk

2014 – Present: Guam Medicaid State Level Repository

2014 – Present: CNMI Medicaid State Level Repository

Ongoing Activities

2018 – Present: Pacific International Training Desk Intermediate Training

2014 – Present: Pacific International Training Desk Introductory Training

2011 – Present: Clinical Applications Coordinator RPMS Training

2006 – Present: Service support

2018 Projects 

2018 – 2017 (Initiated): Guam and CNMI Innovation Accelerator Program

2018 Activities

2018: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 2 (May)

2018: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 1 (March)

2018: Guam Pacific Desk Cohort 3 (May)

2018: Guam Pacific Desk Cohort 2 (March)

2018: Guam Pacific Desk Cohort 1 (February)

2018 Presentations and Reports

2018: “FY 2019 SHPDA Annual Plan” – HHDC APCD Steering Committee – Sean Okamoto

2018:  “Methodology and Approaches to the Implementation of Telehealth Program:  US and State of Hawaii Case Studies” – Pacific Telecommunication Conference ’18 – Christina Higa

2018:  “Introduction to Telehealth: State of Hawaii Environmental Scan, Policy, Infrastructure, and Services” – University of Hawaii MBA Program: Health Informatics and Public Health – Christina Higa

2018:  “Introduction to Telehealth” – 2nd Annual Maternal Child Health Meeting:  Federal/ Jurisdictional/ Territorial – Christina Higa &  Ginger Porter

2018:  “Telehealth in the US Affiliated Pacific Islands – Needs, Challenges and Opportunities” – FedTel, Consortium of Federal Government Agencies involved in Telehealth – Christina Higa  

2018:  “Partnerships – The 360 of Implementing Telehealth in Title V Program” – Association of Maternal and Child Health Program (AMCHP) Conference – Christina Higa with Sylvia Mann & Lila Aiyar, Hawaii DOH

2018:  “PBTRC Pacific Telehealth Concept Paper” – Pacific Island Health Officers Association, Board of Directors – Christina Higa  

 

 

 

 

2017 Projects

2017: Guam and CNMI On-site Training in R

2017: Guam and CNMI Distance Learning Training in R

2017 Activities

2017: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 4 (November)

2017: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 4 (September)

2017: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 3 (July)

2017: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 2 (May)

2017: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 1 (March)

2017: Guam Pacific Desk Cohort 3 (July)

2017: Guam Pacific Desk Cohort 2 (June)

2017: Guam Pacific Desk Cohort 1 (April)

2017 Presentations and Reports

2017: “The Value of Claims and Clinical Data Warehouses in Assessing Community Health Challenges and Needs” – Kauai County Subarea Health Planning Council – Norman Okamura

2016 Activities

2016: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 4 (October)

2016: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 4 (August)

2016: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 3 (July)

2016: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 2 (May)

2016: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 1 (February)

2016: Guam Pacific Desk Cohort 3 (June)

2016: Guam Pacific Desk Cohort 2 (April)

2016: Guam Pacific Desk Cohort 1 (February)

2016: Health Information Exchange Training with Alere

2016: U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands Telehealth Champion Building and Planning Workshop

2016: Hawai‘i Telehealth Policy Workshop

2016 Presentations and Reports

2016: “Telehealth Opportunities for U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands” – Pacific Basin Medical Association Conference – Christina Higa

2016: “Telehealth Update – State of Hawai‘i” Hawai‘i Health Workforce Summit – Christina Higa

2016: “Telehealth in Hawai‘i and USAPI” – Pacific Island Health Officers Association – Christina Higa

2015 Projects

2015: CNMI State Innovation Model

2015: CNMI CHCC Revenue Cycle Management

2015: Guam DPHSS – Server Migration Project

2015 – 2013 (Initiated): CNMI CHCC – HRSA Network Grant

2015 – 2010 (Initiated): Guam Community Health Centers RPMS EHR

2015 Activities

2015: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 4 (October)

2015: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 3 (TBD)

2015: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 2 (July)

2015: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 1 (May)

2015: Guam Community Health Center RPMS Training (October)

2015: Guam Community Health Center RPMS Training (May)

2015 Presentations and Reports

2015: “Access to Health Care Services: Telehealth Opportunities: Bridging Needs and Resources” – State Innovation Model Health Care Transformation Summit, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands – Christina Higa

2014 Projects

2014: Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program

2014: Guam Health Information Exchange

2014: Pacific Island Emergency Medical Services for Children

2014 – 2012 (Initiated)-: CNMI CHCC – RPMS EHR Implementation

2014 – 2010 (Initiated): CNMI Health Information Exchange

2014 – 2008 (Initiated): Pacific Basin Telehealth Demonstration Project – FCC

2014 Activities

2014: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 4 (November)

2014: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 3 (October)

2014: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 2 (August)

2014: Hawai‘i Pacific Desk Cohort 1 (July)

2014: Guam DPHSS RPMS Training (March)

2014 Presentations and Reports

2014: “Telehealth Managing Change, Cultivating Excellence” – 13th Annual FLEX Conference – Christina Higa

2013 Projects

2013: CHCC Public Health Information Systems

2013: Department of Health, Pacific Island Emergency Medical Services for Children – Development and Support 

2013: Department of Health, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division – HIT and EHR Upgrade

2013: PIHOA – DPHSS Public Health Readiness Assessment

2013: Guam DPHSS – DPHSS Public Health Applications Assessment

2013: Hawai‘i Department of Public Safety – HIT Infrastructure Support

2013: American Samoa Health Information Exchange

2013: American Samoa State Medicaid HIT Plan

2013: Activities

2013: Guam DPHSS RPMS Training (October)

2013: Guam DPHSS RPMS Training (May)

2013: CNMI CHCC RPMS Training (November)

2013: CNMI CHCC – Commonwealth Health Center RPMS Training (July)

2013: CNMI CHCC – Laboratory RPMS Training (November)

2013: CNMI CHCC – Kagman CHC RPMS Training (April)

2013: CNMI CHCC – Pharmacy RPMS Training (April)

2013: CNMI CHCC RPMS Training (January)

2013 Presentations and Reports

2013: “Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) – Opportunities for the U.S. Pacific Island Territories” – Pacific Telecommunication Conference – Christina Higa

2012 Projects

2012: Department of Health – HIT Course Planning and Development

2012: DPHSS – DPHSS Public Health Infrastructure Assessment

2012 Activities

2012: CNMI CHCC RPMS Training (September)

2012: Presentations and Reports

2012: “Universal Access and Public Service ICT for Development:  U.S. Pacific Island Experiences” – Fifth International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD2012) – Christina Higa

2012: Panel Chair for Broadband Policies – Pacific Telecommunication Conference – Christina Higa

2011 Activities

2011: RPMS Training for Hui Malama (March)

2011: Guam Community Health Center RPMS Training Kick-Off (June)

2010 Projects

2010: Hawai‘i Department of Health, Public Health Nursing – RPMS EHR

2010 – 2009 (Initiated): Hawai‘i Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program

2010 Activities

2010: Hawai‘i RPMS Training for Hui Malama (November)

2010: Hawai‘i RPMS Training for Hui Malama (March)

2010 Presentations and Reports

2010: “Telecommunication Environment (Policy, Infrastructure, Market) in the U.S. Pacific Islands for Universal and Public Service” – Pacific Telecommunication Conference – Christina Higa

2009 Projects

2009: Chuuk Hosts Upgraded Communication System

2009 Presentations and Reports

2009: “Introduction to Telehealth” – Telehealth-Telecommunications Seminar – Christina Higa

2009: “Introduction to Telehealth” – Community Health Centers Telehealth Seminar – Christina Higa

2009: “Learning Across the Asia Pacific Region – Student experience of video-conferencing and online learning.” – ED-MEDIA World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications – Christina Higa

2009: Chair: Panel Universal Service in the Pacific Island – Pacific Telecommunication Conference – Christina Higa

2008 Presentations and Reports

2008: “Panel on Universal Service Mechanisms” – Pacific Telecommunication Conference – Christina Higa

2007 Projects

2007: Hawai‘i Department of Health /Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation – Hawai‘i OpenRPMS EHR Network

2007: Kauai Pilot Project

2007 Presentations and Reports

2007: “United States Universal Service Program” – Pacific Telecommunications Conference – Norman Okamura and Christina Higa

2006 Activities

2006: Ebeye Hospital Data Connectivity

2006: Majuro CMI Technical Support / MOH/EOC Relocation Site Assessment

2005 Projects

2005: Pacific Information and Communication Technology Academy (PICTA)

2005: Telecommunications and Information Resource Management (TIRM) Graduate Certificate Program, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa

2005 Activities

2005: Pan-Pacific Distance Learning Association Conference

2004 Projects

2004: Rural Health Care Program

2004: American Samoa DOE and Community College and CNMI PSS Teacher Education Training Program

2004 – 2003 (Initiated): PEACESAT Technical Options Study (TOS)

2004 – 2003 (Initiated): Pacific Island Digital Opportunity (PIDO)

2004 – 2003 (Initiated): Palau National Emergency Management Office Data Connection

2004 – 2003 (Initiated): Ministry of Health and Environment, Republic of the Marshall Islands

2004 – 2003 (Initiated): Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kokee Park Geophysical Observatory Link

2003 Projects

2003 – 2002 (Initiated): PEACESAT Operations Maintenance and Improvement (OMIP)

2003 – 2001 (Initiated): National Library of Medicine

2003 – 1999 (Initiated): PEACESAT PRELStar Partnership

2003 Activities

2003: PEACESAT Operations Maintenance Improvement Program (OMIP) 3rd regional workshop is held in the Koror, Palau

2003: PEACESAT hosts an exchange between students in Hawai‘i and American Samoa

2003: Video Teleconference at PEACESAT Studio between University of Hawai‘i and University of Houston

2002 Projects

2002: Pacific Telehealth and Technology Hui (VA-DoD) Collaboration – Implement VA VistA in American Samoa

2002 Conference Presentations, Articles and Reports

2002: “PEACESAT,” 3rd International Forum on Advanced Satellite Communications in the Asia-Pacific Region – Norman Okamura

2001 Presentations and Reports

2001: “The Digital Divide in the Pacific Islands Region” – Pacific Economic Cooperation Council Pacific Islands Nations Task Force – Norman Okamura, Keynote

2000 Projects

2000: Pacific Basin Telehealth Workshop

2000: Hawai‘i Technology Trade Association – Health/Medical Technology Company

2000 Presentations and Reports

2000: “The American Samoa Erate Network: Connecting Schools and Classrooms” – Pacific Education Conference, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands – Norman Okamura

1999 Projects

1999 – 1998 (Initiated): National Telecommunications and Information Administration

1999 – 1998 (Initiated): Grant from the Sasakawa Peace Foundation for Distance Learning Education and Training Program with focus on Telecommunications

1998 Projects

1998 – 1997 (Initiated): Experimental Collaboration in Technical Support

1998 Activities

1998: Workshop on Public Service Telecommunications in the Pacific Islands Region – Co-Organizer with Christina Higa

1997 Projects

1997 – 1996 (Initiated): Electronic Post Office for Health Agencies in the Pacific Islands Region

1993 – 1997: Distance Education Learning Technologies and Applications

1988 – 1997: PEACESAT Re-Establishment Cooperative Agreement

1997 Presentations and Reports

1997: “The Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure in the Pacific Islands Region: Implications for Distance Learning,” – Distance Learning in the Pacific Islands Region – Norman Okamura and Christina Higa

1996 Projects

1996 – 1995 (Initiated): Emergency Management Network

1996 – 1995 (Initiated): Remote Access and Training

1996 Presentations and Reports

1996: “The Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure in the Pacific Islands Region: Leap Frog or Widening Gap?” – Pacific Telecommunications Conference – Norman Okamura, Edmond Durand

1995 Presentations and Reports

1995: “The Emergency Management Network of PEACESAT” – Association of Pacific Islands Legislatures – Norman Okamura and Christina Higa

1995: “SPOT and PEACESAT Interference Problem: Report and Plan of Action” – Norman Okamura, Eric Aubel, and Christina Higa

1995: “Venues for International Cooperation in the Pacific Islands Region” – Pacific Islands Study Group, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications – Norman Okamura

1995: “Best Practices: Distance Education and Telemedicine in Pacific Islands Region” TECHEXPO Conference for Government and Education – Norman Okamura

1995: “PEACESAT Services Improvement Plan” – Conference of Ministry, Users and Providers, Forum Secretariat – Norman Okamura

1995 – 1991 (Initiated): International Japan PARTNERS Project

1994 Projects

1994 – 1993 (Initiated): Pacific Telecommunications Infrastructure Study

1994 – 1993 (Initiated): Remote Data Access for Land Grant College Institutions

1994 Activities

1994: Building Electronic Communities: Part II, Hawai‘i Information Network and Technology Symposium

1994 Presentations and Reports

1994: “Public Service Telecommunication and Information Networks in Asia and the Pacific” – Building Electronic Communities: Part II, Hawai‘i Information Network and Technology Symposium – Norman Okamura

1994: “The Emergence of Pacific Partnerships for Distance Learning, Telehealth, and Telecommunications in the Pacific Islands Region: An Environmental Scan” – Norman Okamura and Christina Higa

1992 Presentations and Reports

1992: “Consumer and Public Policy Issues Related to the Future Development of the Hawai‘i” – Hawai‘i Information Network and Technology Symposium – Norman Okamura

1992: “Strategic Telecommunications Planning: A Case Study of Hawai‘i” – National Governor’s Association – Norman Okamura

1988 Projects

1988 – 1987 (Initiated): PEACESAT Communications in Pacific through Single-Side Band Radio

1985 Presentations and Reports

1985: “Trends in Public Sector Information Systems Planning and Management in the United States” – Economic Development Commission, Planning Commission – Norman Okamura