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In our field, we hear a lot about the challenges and opportunities of Health Information Technology (HIT), the State Budget, National Health Reform, and workforce shortages. But do you know how these issue areas affect your local region? At CSRHA’s recent Southern California Rural Roundtable, local stakeholders and community leaders were able to discuss these issues from their unique local perspectives, and in so doing, will help lend their voices to the ongoing state and national dialogue through CSRHA’s outreach and advocacy efforts.
 The Southern California Rural Roundtable was held March 12, 2010 at the historic University of San Diego, overlooking Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Though the setting was California’s seventh largest city, co-host and CSRHA board member Judith Shaplin reminded us of the rural nature of eastern San Diego County, where there is no pharmacy for miles, and services are often connected by dirt roads. Special thanks goes to co-host Mountain Health and Community Services, Inc. and our sponsors, Health Net and 501 (c) Agencies Trust, as well as the University of San Diego’s Children’s Advocacy Institute in hosting the meeting site.
Nearly 40 regional and statewide rural leaders to came together to discuss and learn about regional, state, and national issues affecting rural health. Attendees represented diverse rural healthcare safety-net and service industry providers, which generated an invigorating discussion on a breadth of issues impacting Southern California rural communities.
The Roundtable participants focused their discussion on Health Information Technology (HIT), the State Budget, Federal Issues, and Rural Healthcare Workforce Issues. Attendees then broke up into workgroups to prioritize which issues were most pressing and any roadblocks rural communities face within those issue areas. The workgroups provided an opportunity for different entities to come together and discuss common problems and brainstorm solutions. Those who have already overcome challenges, for example in implementing electronic health records (EHRs) or other HIT systems, shared their perspectives and understanding of the issue with those who are just starting out.
By the end of the day, the workgroups had identified their top three priorities in each of the topic areas, identifying both the most critical roadblocks they were working to overcome and the most helpful resources they have found.
Here are the top priorities identified by roundtable participants:
Health Information Technology (HIT)
- Affordability
- Infrastructure (planning, training, IT support, etc...)
- Lack of interoperability between existing systems and new systems
State Budget
- Loss of funding and access to care is causing over utilization of high end services such as the emergency room
- Loss of funding for Healthy Families
- Lack of specialty care access funding
Rural Workforce:
- Recruitment and retention: attracting available personnel to rural communities
- Shortage of healthcare providers
- Competition with prisons, immigration and border control within the workforce
Federal Issues:
- Programs that leverage Federal matching funds should be renewed
- Collaboration among clinics in order to serve the uninsured
- How the results of the 2010 Census may change the current allocation of funds
We thank everyone who came to this Roundtable and shared their insights with us. As we learn more from our members on the most pressing issues affecting you in your day to day work, these issues inform the content of future roundtables and other events, such as our upcoming legislative hearings being planning on workforce and HIT. Please join the conversation and make your voice heard: Email your concerns, ideas, and stories us at advocate@csrha.org. |
