First Look: Telemedicine And Teleradiology Project
Verizon awards $85,000 to help launch a program that would increase access to health care

Increasing access to health care and eliminating health disparities is the catalyst behind KHEIR's Telemedicine and Teleradiology Project. In underserved urban areas such as Los Angeles, the poor and uninsured are often unable to obtain basic medical service and almost always lack access to specialty care.
KHEIR is able to provide primary health care to its patients, but is only able to provide specialty care through referrals. Patients who need specialists are sent off-site, requiring them to schedule another appointment, miss more work, arrange for travel and deal with an added medical institution. For an immigrant population that frequently has no experience with the health care system and limited English language skills, this can be overwhelming. Many are discouraged from following through to receive the medical attention they need.
The creation of an 1,800-square-foot imaging department using teleradiology is the crux of KHEIR's expansion into telemedicine. The imaging department will include digital X-ray, mammography and bone densitometer units. An imaging department will expand accessibility to breast cancer and osteoporosis screenings and X-ray services through convenient daily appointments at a permanent facility.
Increasing availability to imaging services is especially important for KHEIR's Korean and Latino population. Despite a high mortality rate, Korean and Latinos have some of the lowest screening rates for preventable cancers. A network connecting all of KHEIR's departments (community clinic, social services and adult day health care) and creating an imaging department in partnership with St. Vincent Medical Center is the next step toward a long-term goal to increase access to health care to the underserved and decreasing the health disparity between Korean and Latino populations and other ethnic groups.
The Telemedicine and Teleradiology Project will also enable all of KHEIR's departments to be connected through the use of a single patient database. Medical records and communications between practitioners will be accessed remotely allowing for increased efficiency and eliminating human errors.
According to Tim McCallion, president of Verizon's West region, the grant supports one of Verizon's principal areas of focus. 
"Utilizing technology to gain efficiencies and increase access to health services is an important step toward improving family safety and health," he said. "Verizon is committed to supporting organizations that are making inroads in these important areas."
Verizon's support of the Telemedicine and Teleradiology Project will improve the quality of life for hundreds of people.
Verizon delivers technology that touches life. Verizon uses its technology and its financial resources to improve literacy and K-12 education, help families victimized by domestic violence, and improve the delivery of health care. In 2005, Verizon awarded more than $74 million in grants, $8 million of which went to charitable and nonprofit agencies in California. Verizon also supports Verizon Volunteers, one of the largest employee volunteer programs in the United States - responsible for 2 million hours of community service since 2000 and $35.6 million in combined contributions to nonprofits in 2005 alone.
For more information on Verizon and its philanthropic programs, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.
The KHEIR-S Mark Taper Foundation Community Clinic provides primary and preventive care for all ages. To make an appointment, please call (213) 637-1070 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.