WRMA has been hired as the external evaluator for a California statewide initiative, the purpose of which to reduce barriers and improve access to healthcare in rural regions to healthcare in rural regions. The project is funded by the California Endowment through the California Telemedicine and eHealth Education Center (CTEC) in Sacramento, CA, which in turn has funded ten grantees across the state to administer telemedicine services.

The lessons learned from the study were shared in February 2007 at the Global Health Education Consortium (GHEC) conference and in May 2007 at the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) conference. These presentations were designed for those who are considering using telemedicine or are currently using telemedicine to address the health needs of rural residents. The primary lesson learned from the study was that the development of regional hub sites covering a diverse and comprehensive network of specialists should be pursued, in order to reduce service gaps and duplication. This approach will also reduce costs associated with both trial and error and program administration, and better equip hub sites to make program changes that reflect community needs. Further information regarding these presentations may be accessed at the
Global Health Education Consortium (GHEC) and 2007Annual Conference Recap.