Challenges & Successes Health Information Technology

Perspectives of 3 Leaders

A Rural Health Perspective

Holly Jeffreys, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC

Access to Rural Health Care

While 1/4 of the US population lives in rural areas, less than 10% of these areas have a primary health care provider.

Rural Healthy People 2010: Literature Review (2012).

National Snapshot

15% of US adults report they do

not have a place to receive care.

Up to 12% of hospitalizations are avoidable

with appropriate access to health care. Rural Urban

Male Mortality Ages 1-24

80/100,000 60/100,000

Female MortalityAges 1-24

40/100,000 30/100,000

Adults report Poor Health Conditions

28% 21%

National Rural Health Association Statistics, 2012

Rural

Issue Rural Stats Urban Stats

8th Graders report smoking 26.1% 12.7%

12th Graders report of driving while intoxicated

40% 25%

CVA (Stroke) 1.5 X higher thanurbanized areas

Hypertension 130 per 1000 100 per 1000

Suicide overall men & women

Mortality from Accidents 60% 48%

Post AMI Morbidity (illness) and Mortality (death)

Morbidity Mortality

Up to 30% less Morbidity and Mortality for Post AMI

National Rural Health Association Statistics, 2012.

Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ, 2012 Highlights)

Health care quality and access are suboptimal, especially for minority and low-income groups.

● Overall quality is improving, access is getting worse, and disparities are not changing.

● Urgent attention is warranted to ensure continued improvements in:1. Quality of diabetes care, maternal and child health care, and

adverse events.

2. Disparities in cancer care.

3. Quality of care among states in the South.

Healthcare in TEXAS

What’s Different with Rural Health?

Economic factors

Cultural & social differences

Quality improvement initiatives

Primary Care Providers

Family Care Clinic

Mission: To promote the health and well-being of the local population by providing reliable, accessible, high-quality health care for people of all ages.

Vision: To become the trusted, resource and thriving health care center for Carson and

surrounding counties.

To serve as a model clinic for rural areas lacking access to healthcare, and to eventually aid other areas in developing and supporting self-sustaining practices.

Panhandle, Texas

Carson County

6,182 County Residents

2,425 Panhandle Residents

8,000 Patients

Family Care Clinic of Panhandle

Family Care Clinic of Boys Ranch

Boys Ranch, Texas Oldham County

2,065 County Residents 600 Boys Ranch Residents

HIT in Rural Health

Challenges

Internet / Ethernet reliability

Connectivity to larger system(s)

Patient engagement / participation in care

Eligibility / Provider participation - Regulatory barriers

HIPPA

Successes

Data reporting for patient & community education

Data collection for preventive care & screening initiatives

Quality Initiatives Telemedicine HIPPA