Promotora Telemedicine Project

Combining Technology and Cultural Sensitivity to Improve Diabetes Care in a Medically Underserved Community

Abstract

The Promotora Telemedicine Project utilizes a telemedicine network to link diabetic patients in underserved areas with teams of physicians and Certified Diabetes Educators who deliver state-of-the-art health care services. Care is assisted by a support network of Spanish-speaking facilitators who serve as a cultural interface between Latino patients and diabetes care providers. This project is designed to test the hypothesis that new technology can be combined with culturally sensitive programs to improve access to high-quality care and to reduce the cost of diabetes care in Santa Clara County, California.