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California
Telehealth Network Workshop Transmitted to
CSRHA Members at 15 Rural Sites Throughout CA
On June 23,
2008, the California
Telehealth Network (CTN) conducted a conference
sponsored by the State Office of Rural Health and the California
State Rural Health Association, in partnership with Northern Sierra
Rural Health Network. The workshop provided an overview of the
Califonia Telehealth Network, its goals and how providers can
become involved in the Rural Health Pilot Project. Participants
of the workshop had the opportunity to participate in the session
at one of 15 rural sites, via webinar or audio feed. Fifty people
were connected via webinar, and 20 people were connected via audio
feed.
Presentations were provided by CTN management team members, Tom
Nesbitt, MD, MPH, Executive Associate Dean, UC Davis Health System
and Project Director of CTN, David Harry, PhD, Assistant Director
Center for Health and Technology, UC Davis Health System, Associate
Program Coordinator of CTN and Stacy Cole, MBA, Analyst, Center
for Health and Technology, UC Davis Health System.
The goals of
California Telehealth Network match the goals the Federal Communications
Commission, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department
of Health and Human Services. Goals include:
- Have a
statewide system dedicated to healthcare.
- Link CTN
to a national backbone system.
- Build investments
of and through Broadband and technology.
- Use CTN
for disaster preparedness.
- Report
back to the FCC on the success of the Pilot Program and suggestions
on how to better it.
The California
Telehealth Network would like to achieve those goals and extend
healthcare to over 300 providers in 3 years. CTN would like to
eliminate any disadvantages posed to certain communities, like
rural areas. CTN hopes to do this through virtual hubs, peer to
peer connectivity, a centralized network open every hour of every
day of the year and a support center there to meet the needs and
questions of its’ users. These hubs will be available to
various outlets and participants and will look to integrate those
on a regional and national basis. Security will be highly emphasized
in this medical system.
Presentation
Highlights:
- Rural healthcare
providers were strongly urged to fill out CTN’s survey
and letters
of agency (LOA’s) which allow CTN to submit
a letter of request for funding from the Rural Healthcare Pilot
Program.
- Participants
were informed of CTN's’s short term goal of by August
2008 to have over 300 LOA’s submitted to CTN so that implementation
of the program could begin by the end of 2008
- Overviews
of the improvements made to the Rural Healthcare Pilot Program
were compared to the traditional program. One such improvement
discussed was how the Pilot Program pays for 85% of the equipment
needed to implement such telemedicine
The
presentation was followed by an informative question and answer
session. Some of the questions were as follows:
How
will quality be improved?
Access to the private network will increase quality through
increased connection speed and strength. In addition, access will
not be allowed from a public network.
What
will be done about existing contracts?
CTN
will look to make connections that could hopefully allow current
contracts to be terminated without a termination fee. Various
strategies will be deployed in order to make smooth transitions
to the new network and program.
What
about rural health clinics that are for profit?
Health
clinics for profit should still submit an LOA, email, and answer
the survey. Currently the first priority is programs who are eligible
by the guidelines, however as the program escalates it could expand
to those clinics that are for profit.
For updates
visit www.caltelehealth.org
and for questions email ctn@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
To view the workshop slides, click
here.
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