AB 329 - Medical Board Telemedicine Pilot Program

"Development of a Diabetes Self-Management Education Program via Telemedicine for Patients in Rural Underserved Communities in California"

The Medical Board of California is pleased to announce the launch of our telemedicine pilot program, per AB 329 (Nakanishi, Chapter 386, Statutes of 2007). AB 329 authorized the Medical board to establish a pilot program to expand the practice of telemedicine in California, and to deliver health care and health information to those with chronic diseases. AB 329 also requires the board to make recommendations regarding its findings to the Legislature within one calendar year of the commencement date of the pilot program (please see link below).

The Medical Board of California will work in conjunction with the Chronic Disease Management Program of the University of California, Davis, Health System (UCDHS) and the UCDHS Center for Health and Technology, on developing a telemedicine model for the provision of modern diabetes self-management education and training classes for patients with diabetes living in a 33 county area of rural, underserved communities in northern and central California.

Although AB 329 does not specifically identify a chronic disease to target, this pilot will focus on diabetes. This pilot program will be conducted over a three year period starting July 1, 2009, and the main goals/objectives of this pilot program are to:

• Test a model for improving access to diabetes self-management training and resources via telemedicine technology for patients in rural and/or medically-underserved communities in northern and central California.

  Objectives:

  • Test the effectiveness and cost efficiency of providing patient self-management training via interactive videoconferencing to patients at 6 healthcare sites per year.
  • Compare the outcomes of patients participating in two different models: class attendance only and class attendance with follow-up health coaching.
  • Develop a final report summarizing project results and lessons learned.

• Develop a method, utilizing telemedicine technology, of providing primary care physicians in rural and/or medically underserved areas with information on best practices for diabetes management and care.

  Objectives:

  • Provide continuing medical education programs on best practices for diabetes management via interactive videoconferencing, to primary care physicians at participating community sites.
  • Provide individual participating primary care physicians access to clinical decision making support regarding therapeutic changes to diabetes care.

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• First Annual Report to the Legislature, Submitted July 2010
• Second Annual Report to the Legislature, Submitted July 2011