Cisco said more than 15 sites in California will be equipped to deliver telemedicine primary and specialty care services across distances using its . HealthPresence also enables multiple members of a patient's care team to meet in real-time across distances, Cisco says.
As part of this e-health program, Cisco is contributing $10 million of products, services and support. HealthPresence is also being piloted by ., on a national scale.
The California project will enable Molina Healthcare locations in the state, as well as Mountain Health and Community Services and La Maestra Community Health Centers in San Diego to use Cisco HealthPresence to deliver primary and specialty care services. The University of California at Davis, a leading telemedicine institution, may join the project as well, Cisco says.
Cisco also says the pilot program complements the California Telehealth Network, a statewide coalition of healthcare, technology and government to use and build on telehealth.
"California is already a world leader in technology, so it makes sense that we also lead the way in applying technology to healthcare," said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, in a statement. "What Cisco is doing here with the latest in high-tech approaches and communication is the future of medicine and we are very excited to see such innovative partners work to expand telemedicine connections and medical care in California."
Citing data from the Association of American Medical Colleges, Cisco says that, due to population growth, aging and other factors, the United States is facing a potential shortage of 159,000 primary care physicians by 2025. , the company says.
It’s also an example of an application of technologies Cisco views as its key growth drivers.
"The use of video and collaboration has significant benefits for the doctor/patient experience as we know it, and Cisco sees telemedicine as a vehicle for transforming healthcare on a global scale," said CEO John Chambers, in a statement.
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