Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined state and federal officials Tuesday to launch the California Telehealth Network, intended to bring medical care to underserved areas statewide.
Imagine that you’ve just been in car accident in a remote area and the doctor treating you needs the help of a specialist. Now through a new network she can get that help through video conferencing.
“The California Telehealth Network is now officially launched,” announced Eric Brown, Executive Director of the California Telehealth Network, at the UC Davis Cancer Center.
Brown was joined by Governor Schwarzenegger and U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra. The governor called telehealth the “future of medicine.”
“It should not be a matter of how rich you are or where you live, I think everyone ought to have this kind of access,” said Schwarzenegger.
Over the next three years, the network plans to connect 800 health care providers across the state. The project is funded in large part by a $22 million grant from the Federal Communications Commission.
