Family Care Specialists Expanding Telehealth Capabilities

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Family Care Specialists, a medical group providing family medical services in the Los Angeles area, applied for a telehealth expansion grant offered by health payer, Health Net LLC.

Physical distancing has forced many Californians to seek providers that offer telehealth to ease the anxiety of walking into a clinic. However, many providers and organizations, like Family Health Specialists, that serve Medi-Cal patients face financial barriers to expand the implementation of telehealth services, and this is where organizations like Health Net come in.

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Family Care Specialists, saw the need to increase its telehealth offering to benefit its patients most of whom are coping with a wide array of health issues, but who are also concerned with having to schedule face to face appointments.

“Health Net’s investment in telehealth is not only helping safety net providers implement this important technology, it’s also helping the underserved,” said Hector Flores, MD, Family Physician at the clinic’s Montebello Office and Co-Director of the Adventist Health White Memorial Family MedicineResidency Program. “Patients love having this service available because they are not only worried about the pandemic, but child care concerns and transportation can be an obstacle as well. This grant from Health Net will help us develop a strategy to address the digital divide in underserved communities and to bridge the gap in access to culturally and linguistically competent services. We are optimistic about sustaining a telehealth practice well into the future.”

On May 6, 2020, Health Net announced it awarded 138 grants, totaling $13.4 million, to support the establishment and expansion of telehealth and telephonic services for California providers serving Medi-Cal members. This was the largest grant of cash dedicated to this cause by a health plan in California at the time. The company had announced $5.9 million in available grants in a Request for Support (RFS) on April 2, 2020. However, based on the overwhelming response to the RFS, Health Net awarded grants totaling $13.4 million.

“Telehealth is proving to be an invaluable resource to treat patients during the coronavirus pandemic,” said Brian Ternan, President and CEO, Health Net of California and California Health & Wellness. “From implementing remote patient monitoring to helping underserved communities receive the care they need, these grants will help Family Care Services and safety net providers across California to expand their telehealth efforts.”

About Family Health Specialists

The Family Care Specialists Medical Corporation (“FCS”) was established in 1988 by six Latino Board-Certified family physicians whose careers goals were to return to practice in East Los Angeles, California, the medically underserved community where they grew up.

Thee FCS Medical Group serves approximately 25,000 beneficiaries comprised of Medi-Cal, Medicare, and Commercial coverage and 8% who are uninsured. The FCS Medical Group is dedicated to improve the health status of its patients, their families, and the entire community utilizing culturally and linguistically competent services and by deployment of performance standards that reduce or eliminate health disparities

Today, FCS is comprised of 18 family physicians, two internists, 6 PAs and 4 FNP, one Behavioralist, a case manager and two navigators, and has four offices with each site located in a health professions shortage area (HPSA). In 1989, the FCS Medical Group established the White Memorial Medical Center (WMMC) Family Medicine Residency Program which enjoys a national recognition for its success in placing over 70% of its 212 graduates in medically underserved areas, over 30% in leadership positions, and over 65% coming from ethnic groups known to be under-represented in the health professions.