Authored By: Sylvia Trujillo, CTRC Executive Director Our State continues to see an unprecedented surge in natural disasters, from devastating wildfires in Los Angeles to extreme heat in the Central Valley to earthquakes. These catastrophic events don’t just leave physical destruction in their wake – they create a growing mental health crisis that our traditionalRead more
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California, known for its diverse geography and vibrant communities, faces a significant challenge in healthcare: equitable access to specialty care. From the bustling urban centers of Los Angeles and San Francisco to the remote, rural regions of the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada, patients across the state experience disparities in accessing specialists for conditionsRead more
Authored by Sylvia Trujillo The American Relief Act of 2025: Keeping Telehealth Medicare Coverage and other Flexibilities on the Table — for Now Over the weekend, the President signed the American Relief Act of 2025, a significant piece of legislation aimed at continuing essential healthcare programs and extending telehealth flexibilities for Medicare beneficiaries through MarchRead more
This checklist from the California Telehealth Resource Center (CTRC) supports healthcare providers in delivering effective and secure two-way interactive audio/video telehealth services. It guides providers through crucial steps, including verifying clinical appropriateness, obtaining required consents, and ensuring patients have adequate technology and a private setting. It also covers provider conduct, preparation for potential technology issues,Read more
This comprehensive checklist from the California Telehealth Resource Center (CTRC) helps providers determine when audio-only telehealth is clinically appropriate and feasible for patients. It covers essential considerations such as clinical suitability, technology limitations, and necessary consent for Medi-Cal and Medicare patients. Additionally, the checklist ensures patient preparedness, privacy, and establishes an emergency communication plan. DesignedRead more
With extreme weather events becoming more frequent, California’s healthcare system is adopting new technologies to safeguard at-risk populations. Tools such as Remote Physiological Monitoring provide continuous health data, while secure texting platforms enable immediate patient outreach. Together, these solutions help providers deliver real-time assistance and vital information during heat waves and air quality alerts. ByRead more
As natural disasters increasingly affect California and our nation, healthcare providers are turning to digital health technologies to ensure patients can still receive care when physical facilities are damaged or inaccessible. Whether facing power outages or connectivity disruptions, providers and patients alike must be prepared with backup solutions to keep digital health systems running. ThisRead more
CLICK TO VIEW The Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program provides a 65% discount on eligible broadband connectivity expenses for eligible rural health care providers (HCPs). You can apply as an individual health care provider or as a consortium, i.e., a group of HCPs that can be both rural and non-rural. Not sure if you areRead more
CLICK TO VIEW The California Teleconnect Fund (CTF) program provides a 50% discount on advanced communication services (including Internet access and broadband services) to qualifying schools, libraries, community colleges, government-owned hospitals/health clinics, and community-based organizations. Not sure if you are eligible? Check out our comprehensive fact sheet.Read more
The Cyber Security Evaluation Tool (CSET) from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency provides a systematic, disciplined, and repeatable approach for evaluating an organization’s security posture. CSET is a desktop software tool that guides asset owners and operators through a step-by-step process to evaluate industrial control system (ICS) and information technology (IT) network security practices.Read more
