• High percentage of population over 65 requiring more frequent and intensive health care
• Inadequate supply of both basic and specialty health care services
• High number of people living in poverty 
• Barriers to access:travel distance, modes of transportation, emergency transport time
• Lack of technology to facilitate access
  

Lack of Health Education:

• Overuse of hospital emergency rooms
• Shortage of health professions education   
• Perceived lack of confidence in the area’s existing health care services
• Lack of technology to facilitate health education
  

Lack of Collaboration:

• Lack of collaboration among existing health care organizations
• Lack of technology to facilitate collaboration

SOLUTIONS

Solutions for the tri-county area will address such issues as the current level of communication among the potential partners, the competitive environment that exists among health care resources, and the challenges of implementing common systems and technologies to facilitate collaboration. Educating participants and patients about TeleHealth, TeleMedicine, and TelePharmacy techniques will also be necessary.  Gaining residents’ confidence will be essential before CROPS can expect them to embrace these newer technologies.

The following eight objectives address issues documented through resident surveys, public participation, and baseline testing.

Increase access to comprehensive health care for people over 65

Increase access to basic and specialty health care in Starke, Pulaski & Jasper Counties

Increase participation in low-to-no-cost health care programs for low income people

Reduce transportation barriers to health care access

Reduce inappropriate use of hospital emergency rooms

Increase collaboration among existing health care organizations

Increase knowledge and use of technology as it relates to health care

Increase quality of and confidence in the area’s existing health care services

Outputs

An example of project outputs includes:

Screenings
•    Blood Pressure           
•    Diabetes
•    Cholesterol
•    Body Mass Index Indicators
•    Flexibility
•    Bone Density
•    Testicular Cancer
•    Breast Cancer
•    Oral Health
•    Vision

Prevention/Education
•    Heart disease
•    Hypertension
•    Hyperlipidemia
•    Diabetes
•    Obesity
•    Dental Sealants
•    School Physicals
•    Vaccinations
•    Job Shadowing
•    Youth Summer Camps
•    Youth Marketing

Training and Coordination
•    Parish Nursing
•    Inter-faith Collaboration
•    Human Patient Simulator Training
•    Technology Training
•    HIP Enrollment Training
•    Medical, Nurse Practitioner, and Pharmacy Student Rotations