Author(s):  UC Merced, Great Valley Center
Publication Date: 1/31/2009

In 2007, UC Merced received an award from the California Emerging Technologies Foundation (CETF) to investigate
the San Joaquin Valley's telemedicine needs and readiness levels in support of developing a vision for a San
Joaquin Valley eHealth Regional Network. It is anticipated that this vision would help guide expansion and implementation of telemedicine in the San Joaquin Valley.

This report describes the analyses used to identify and characterize the current needs and challenges of telemedicine in the San Joaquin Valley, suggests how some of the challenges in telemedicine readiness could be met over time, and identies - by a ranking system for telemedicine readiness - participating health care sites most associated with the likelihood of developing a sustainable telemedicine program.

In conjunction with support from other funding sources (AT&T Foundation and Governor's Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley), one product of the analysis is the implementation of the Valley Telehealth Partnership
(VTP), a community-based networking resource for San Joaquin Valley telemedicine users.