California rural providers count on IT.

Information technology helps more than half of California's rural healthcare organizations provide services to patients. The increased use of technology among rural healthcare providers comes at a time when future funding for rural economic development programs is in question because of California's budget deficit. Some 58 percent of facilities surveyed by First Consulting Group and the California State Rural Health Association indicated they rely "heavily" on IT to meet patient care needs. Respondents' top three uses for technology are e-mail exchange with providers, use of general Web sites, and scheduling and billing applications, according to the report. More than 57 percent of hospitals responding said they use digital imaging, while 37 percent of health clinics and 33 percent of hospitals said they use video teleconferencing for patient consultation.