Susan Barr - Kern Valley Sun

A beautifully decorated cafeteria at the Kern Valley Hospital set the scene for last week’s Community Breakfast, featuring guest speaker, California State Assemblymember Jean Fuller (R.-Bakersfield). Fuller found herself on the receiving end of some good natured ribbing from Kern Valley Healthcare District CEO, Rick Carter as he welcomed her to the event. The breakfast was well attended by a wide variety of valley residents representing the business, medical, religious and media communities, as well as numerous not-for-profit organizations.

Fuller, who sits on several committees, including the Agriculture Committee, Assembly Budget Subcommittee, the Natural Resources Committee, the Star Allocation board and the Rural Caucus, stated that she has a special interest in our valley as a result of time spent here when visiting a family member who was in the Skilled Nursing Facility. The Rural Caucus, of which Fuller is Chair, is of keen importance to communities like the Kern River Valley because it serves to protect and promote rural California and its interests. The Caucus also provides a mechanism for rural residents and organizations to carry their concerns and needs to the California State Legislature.

Jean Fuller smiles at constituents who had come to the Kern Valley Hospital cafeteria for a community breakfast on June 27. KVHD director Kay Knight, at left, peruses reading material.

Fuller focused the time allowed her on two key issues; Tele-Med services and Governor Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget. Fuller provided an overview of the entire process a proposed budget must go through before it is finalized. She added that her prior experience with School District budgets has been a real asset with regards to her work on the Assembly Budget Subcommittee. Fuller stated that California is facing a massive $16 billion budget deficit. As a result, many tough but necessary decisions must be made to balance the budget and get California’s economy back on track.

The other issue which Fuller addressed, Tele-medicine, is of great relevance to rural communities such as ours. Telemedicine is a rapidly developing application of clinical medicine where medical information is transferred via telephone, the Internet or other networks for the purpose of consulting, and sometimes remote medical procedures or examinations. Telemedicine may be as simple as two health professionals discussing a case over the telephone, or as complex as using satellite technology and video-conferencing equipment to conduct a real-time consultation between medical specialists in two different locations. Fuller stated ’ÄòThis is a very exciting area and it is my hope that it will be of great help to rural communities like this one.'

After her presentation, Fuller took questions from the floor. Several were asked; some regarding Telemed services and others asking the Assembleymember for her thoughts on the Kern River and it’s recereational use, both in the valley and in Bakersfield.

Fuller wrapped up her time by reiterating her committmment to serving the needs of our valleys’ residents. She went a step further and encouraged everyone present, to bring any issues of concern they may have, to her attention.