A brief grant proposal aims to incorporate California community clinics and health centers into emergency preparedness and response services. The California Primary Care Association (CPCA) is requesting funding to create a video conference system that will allow CPCA to serve the needs of its clinics across the state. The proposal asks for video conference equipment, bridge equipment to link health center hubs, a consultant to advise administrators, and line fees. The sustainability and technological support necessary for this practice would need to be examined before recommending it as a widely applicable approach for communication during a disaster. If funding is received, the video conference system could address the needs of clinics by improving patient care, offering just-in-time training, and minimizing language barriers. Community clinics and health centers in California are care providers to people of low income and limited English-language proficiency. Emergency telemedicine has the potential to continue this level of care during a pandemic without risking patient contact.
One reviewer mentioned that this project could be used as an extension of the public health response capacity in California, although telemedicine may have limited diagnostic capability. The reviewer further noted that most of the community health centers in California have already agreed to participate in the state Health Alert Network, and this proposal may provide excellent outreach to rural and ESL populations. This proposal attempts to close the gap between the willingness of community health centers to serve an indigent population and the resources and training needed to achieve this goal.
