IPROC iproc Iproceedings 2369-6893 JMIR Publications Toronto, Canada v9i1e41686 10.2196/41686 Abstract Abstract Improving Telehealth Equity in Response to COVID-19 in California: ACTIVATE and Lighthouse Dinesen Birthe Lindeman David PhD 1
Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society and the Banatao Institute University of California, Berkeley 2594 Hearst Ave Berkeley, CA, 94720 United States 1 510 666 3677 dlindeman@citris-uc.org
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5471-5245 Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society and the Banatao Institute University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA United States Corresponding Author: David Lindeman dlindeman@citris-uc.org 2023 27 6 2023 9 e41686 4 8 2022 19 6 2023 ©David Lindeman. Originally published in Iproceedings (https://www.iproc.org), 27.06.2023. 2023

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 Background

In response to the significant stressors on health care delivery created by COVID-19, CITRIS Health and partner organizations developed 2 telehealth solutions through a rapid co-design process: Lighthouse and ACTIVATE. These programs were developed to support providers serving underserved and vulnerable populations who lack the tools and resources to support patients with chronic illness or who are isolated. These challenges were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased the need for resources to support vulnerable patients who could not come into a clinic in person or were isolated and lacked access to services. ACTIVATE and Lighthouse apply 2 different telehealth strategies to reach vulnerable populations.

 Objective

This paper presents lessons learned from the design, development, and implementation of 2 innovative telehealth programs developed to improve health care delivery, access to care, digital literacy, and patient outcomes: ACTIVATE and Lighthouse.

 Methods

ACTIVATE is a comprehensive digital health pathway for community health centers that care for those who are medically underserved. ACTIVATE is an innovative, evidence-based, and sustainable telehealth program, designed to benefit vulnerable populations in rural and agricultural communities in the California Central Valley who experience significant health disparities. Lighthouse focuses on connecting older adults in congregate affordable housing, which are settings where residents are particularly vulnerable to isolation, the lack of health care resources, and limited to no access to the internet. Lighthouse provides digital literacy training as well as access to broadband internet with the goal of increasing communication, engagement, and access to health care.

 Results

This presentation will discuss successful design and implementation strategies as well as organizational and policy barriers to program operations.

 Conclusions

In addition to reviewing program and implementation outcomes, strategies for replication and sustainability will be discussed. Although developed in response to COVID-19, the ultimate success of Lighthouse and ACTIVATE is dependent upon its successful scaling beyond the pandemic.

 Conflicts of Interest

None declared.

 telehealth aging underserved populations