A consortium leading a $30 million telehealth project in California has tapped AT&T to connect hundreds of healthcare providers throughout the state.

AT&T will provide the consortium, which is led by the University of California Office of the President and the UC Davis Health System, with a secure, medical-grade telecommunications system as part of the California Telehealth Network.

The California Telehealth Network (CTN) was established in 2007 as part of a $22 million pilot project from the Federal Communications Commission to improve healthcare access for rural and medically underserved areas of the state and provide a new resource for distance learning, emergency services and disaster preparedness. CTN is funded by the Federal Communications Commission, the California Emerging Technology Fund, and UnitedHealth/PacifiCare.

The network is expected to provide a peer-to-peer system, enabling each member to have reliable, high-quality connections with public and nonprofit healthcare providers located in both rural and urban locations. Project officials say communities will benefit through improved access to clinical expertise in specialties ranging from oncology and radiology to infectious disease and psychiatry.

"Millions of Californians live in rural and other medically underserved areas of the state," said Cathryn L. Nation, UC associate vice president for health sciences and services. "The California Telehealth Network will improve access to quality health care services for many communities where significant needs exist. Several hundred health providers have already signed Letters of Agreement, which paves the way for their participation in the new network."

The network will also provide opportunities for continuing education and distance learning for health professionals, along with access to clinical research and the possibility of access to commercially hosted electronic health records systems.

Officials said CTN's long-range goal is to establish a statewide telehealth system that links a majority of the state's healthcare facilities, including those in urban areas. The network team plans to train and support participants in the use of telemedicine equipment and assist them in establishing working relationships with medical specialists and other health providers.

"Telehealth and new information technologies can help overcome health disparities by bridging geographic distances, redistributing medical expertise and creating new venues for education," said Thomas Nesbitt, associate vice chancellor for strategic technologies and alliances at UC Davis Health System. "The California Telehealth Network allows us to build upon existing telemedicine systems and truly create a structure that will serve the healthcare needs of Californians well into the future."

The CTN complements a concurrent expansion in telehealth and eHealth made possible by Proposition 1D, an education infrastructure bond championed by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and approved by voters in 2006. The measure has been part of the governor's strategic growth plan to improve and rebuild California's infrastructure, which includes $200 million dedicated to building out telemedicine capacity around the state. It also provides support for UC medical school facilities that will serve as training sites for the next generation of physicians and other health care professionals as health care services continue to be transformed through the use of new technologies.

"Telehealth is the future of medicine and California is committed to leading the way," said Schwarzenegger. "We have been laying the groundwork for years to expand this technology in our state which will provide greater access to quality care and help reduce overall healthcare costs. I am very excited our innovative UC partners are continuing our strong leadership by working to increase telehealth connections throughout California."