Speranza Avram, Consultant, Speranza Avram & Associates
Nominated by: Andie Martinez, Sr. Policy Analyst for Special Populations, CPCA

Speranza has long been a rural health advocate, and her largest impact has been in the area of technology.  She has championed the use of technology to increase access and improve overall health for rural residents. 

Clinics have been at the forefront of integrating and utilizing technology, especially those in rural areas, because it improves access to care.  Speranza, being a forward thinker, has been connecting not only with clinics but also with other organizations about the importance of technology in delivering health care.  California, in part, must thank Speranza for the materialization of the California Telehealth Network (CTN).   Her persistence helped to ensure that a coordinated and collaborative group took the lead on creating the RFP for the FCC grant, and as a result California has the largest FCC project in the country.  The CTN will result in the investment of tens of millions of dollars in technology infrastructure for rural health care providers.  Her participation has ensured that a major portion of the 900 interested health care sites are community clinics and health centers.  Speranza’s leadership role with the CTN will have a monumental impact on clinics and technology infrastructure for years to come.

She is a consistent and strong voice for rural health care providers in policy development conversations at regional and state levels.  She has done extensive work around reimbursement systems for care for all rural residents, especially the un- and under-insured.  She is an integral player on the California Telehealth and e-Health Center’s (CTEC) Optimization Initiative.  The Optimization Initiative has brought together diverse telehealth stakeholders to formulate the basis for a policy paper on telehealth in California.  Speranza provides the perspective for rural health clinics, and provides much needed knowledge that is the foundation for a number of the policy recommendations.  This policy paper will be the first telehealth policy brief at the state level, and because of Speranza’s involvement clinics will be a center-piece. 

Additionally, Speranza has played a major role in advancing the use of technology to make sure rural residents have access to basic health care and specialty services through video conferencing.  During her tenure as the CEO of the Northern Sierra Rural Health Network she oversaw the Northern Sierra Technology Services Center, a segment of NSRHN.  The Center provides support to its membership and helps to expand the use of technology by rural health providers in the northeastern corner of California. The Technology Services Center provides the following programs and services:  Telemedicine Technical Support Program, High-Speed Network supporting IP video, and a Technology Training Program.

Speranza has been an instrumental leader in advancing the adoption of technology to increase access to care in rural California. 

Article posted on 1/6/08