FCC Awards California $22 Million for Broadband Development

Last week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a $22 million grant award to the California Telehealth Network to improve broadband access across the state, particularly in rural and underserved areas. The award will be managed by the University of California, on behalf of a broad coalition of government agencies and health care providers.

The award will bring broadband technology to previously unconnected rural areas and  provide enhanced connectivity to over 300 rural health facilities in the state. Among other objectives, the grant will be used to improve existing rural telemedicine networks and connect health care providers who currently lack telemedicine services. Additionally, the University of California and its medical schools will be included in the network.

Many rural health advocates believe that broadband technology and telemedicine could significantly improve the accessibility of health care to rural Californians who have long contended with medical facilities and physicians that are few and far between. Connecting rural health providers to medical schools and urban medical facilities could provide the necessary health care without hours of travel.

The FCC award resulted from a collaborative proposal effort that brought together state agencies, non-profit organizations and health care providers from across the state. CSRHA, through our Rural Technology Advisory Committee, played a key role in bringing rural stakeholders together.  Those involved in the proposal process expect that this atmosphere of collaboration will also be carried into the implementation of the California Telehealth Network.

To read the Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s full press release, click here.

California State Rural Health Association
3720 Folsom Boulevard, Suite B, Sacramento, CA (916) 453-0780, (916) 453-0783 Fax