Section 124720.

Project proposals shall be considered that address the health needs of rural populations, including, but not limited to, migratory and other agricultural workers, American Indians, and senior citizens, who have insufficient access to adequate levels of health care services due to geographical isolation or economic factors.

Projects that are approved shall accomplish one or more of the following:

(a)  Provide primary health care, including preventive health services and diagnostic, treatment, referral, and followup services.

(b)  Provide comprehensive health care, including specialized physician services, inpatient and outpatient facilities, laboratory and X-ray services, home health services, and other specialized services.

(c)  Provide emergency medical services designed to meet the special problems of rural isolation.

(d)  Provide transportation appropriate to achieving the goal of making health care services available to residents of rural areas.

(e)  Provide electronic communication technology to improve health care delivery and emergency health services in the designated rural areas.

(f)  Establish regional health systems, including linkage with both rural and urban health programs and facilities.

(g)  Improve the quality of medical care and the administrative capabilities of agencies and management systems in rural areas.

(h)  Provide health education programs in the designated rural areas, including health and nutrition education, and continuing education for health professionals.

(i)  Promote nurse practitioner and physician assistants programs and other programs for training and placement of health professionals in the designated areas to respond to rural manpower shortages.

(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 415, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 1996.)