Eureka Times-Standard

Karen Wilkinson The Times-Standard

Article Launched: 12/11/2007 01:30:59 AM PST

Funds that will help rural hospitals and health clinics expand broadband networks for telemedicine will make their way to the North Coast as soon as early 2008.

A $22 million federal grant, managed by the UC Davis, will use telecommunications technology to provide access to medical specialists in urban areas through video conferencing.

The three-year grant, awarded by the Federal Communications Commission, will connect more than 300 rural health outposts to medical specialists in urban areas.

With the technology, urban doctors can monitor patients, make diagnoses and assist in treating rural patients from long distances. Bandwidth capacity will be increased, along with the number of telemedicine connections between California's health care providers.

State Sen. Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) and Assemblywoman Patty Berg (D-Eureka) supported the California Telehealth Network's grant application by working with Congress and contacting the FCC to ensure California received its share of the federal funding.

”It is critical that our state sets the standard with this new technology, which will enable us to save time, save money, and most importantly, save lives,” Wiggins said in a press release.

The $22 million grant comes on top of the $200 million allocated in Proposition 1D to build telemedicine capacity around the state. The award will build upon existing networks and connect health care providers that are currently unconnected to telemedicine services.

Regional hospitals and clinics set to benefit from the grant include the K'ima:w Medical Center Clinic on the Hoopa Reservation, the Jerold Phelps Community Hospital in Garberville, Redwood Memorial Hospital in Fortuna, the Telehealth and Visiting Specialist Center in Eureka, United Indian Health Service in Arcata, Eureka's Community Health Center, Mad River Community Hospital in Arcata, the Humboldt Open Door Clinic in Arcata, St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, the Burre Dental Center in Eureka, the McKinleyville Community Health Center, Six Rivers Planned Parenthood in Eureka, Eureka's Mobile Medical Office and the Long Valley Health Center and Dental Clinic in Laytonville.

Funding will cover the costs of network connection, consulting fees related to creating and designing the network, and network maintenance. Funding for clinical equipment, computers, cameras or other devices and equipment not directly required to install or maintain the broadband connection will not be covered.

Last year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed three executive orders to encourage broadband networks by bringing together experts from government and business so they can work together and identify and eliminate obstacles to make broadband Internet access available everywhere in the state.