UC Davis Health in Sacramento launched a digital inclusion program in partnership with Verizon Business.
"The digital inclusion program allows us to expand our presence in some of our most vulnerable populations, allowing them to access resources and critical care in the palm of their hand," said Ashish Atreja, CIO and chief digital health officer of UC Davis Health.
The program will give free smartphones, tablets and connectivity to underserved populations for improved access to health and social services. Verizon will deliver the connectivity so UC Davis Health can test different outcomes and improve telehealth for underserved and rural populations.
UC Davis Health covers 6 million people living within 65,000 square miles.
"It's critical that our programs address the social and digital determinants of health, which are increasingly becoming a key factor in accessing care and improving health outcomes for the most vulnerable populations we serve," said Keisuke Nakagawa, director of innovation at the UC Davis Health Digital CoLab.