SECTIONS 127620 - California Statutes

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE

SECTION 127620

127620. (a) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and
Development, in conjunction with the State Department of Health
Services, shall act as the coordinating agency to develop a strategic
plan that would assist rural California to prepare for health care
reform. The plan shall assist in the coordination and integration of
all rural health care services on the birth to death continuum and
serve as an infrastructure for rural communities to establish
priorities and develop appropriate programs.
(b) The office shall designate representatives from provider
groups including rural hospitals, clinics, physicians, other rural
providers including psychologists, counties, beneficiaries, and other
entities directly affected by the plan. The office shall convene
meetings with the objectives of doing all of the following:
(1) Assessing the current status of health care in rural
communities.
(2) Assembling and reviewing data related to available programs
and resources for rural California.
(3) Assembling and reviewing data related to other states'
strategic plans for rural communities.
(4) Reviewing and integrating the office's rural work plan, as
appropriate.
(5) Making assumptions about the future of health care and
developing a strategic plan based on these assumptions.
(c) The rural health care strategic plan shall address all of the
following:
(1) The special needs of the elderly and of ethnic populations.
(2) Elimination of barriers in planning and coordinating health
services.
(3) The lack of primary and specialty providers.
(4) Access to emergency services.
(5) The role of new technologies, including, but not limited to,
telemedicine.