Physician-patient interaction is the key to a new telemedicine pilot program with community centers in California.

Under the California Telemedicine Pilot Project, more than 15 sites will be equipped to deliver telemedicine primary and specialty services using the networking system known as Cisco HealthPresence.

The "care-at-a-distance" plan will allow patients to visit a center with high-definition cameras and electronic scopes linked to physicians who may be a long distance away. While a physician assistant stands next to the patient and uses the necessary medical instruments, the physician can see or hear what's necessary in the examination, such as a patient's heartbeat. In turn, patients will be able to see and listen the same way as clinicians.

Indeed, potentially multiple members of a care team, including a primary care provider, specialist, case manager, and family members can meet in "real time"—at a distance.

Editor’s note: To read the rest of this article, visit “California program uses telemedicine to reach medically underserved” found in the Reading Room at www.StrategiesForNurseManagers.com.

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