OneAthens Health Initiative Team
James Shrum* - Chair, ARMC
Virginia Day* - St. Mary’s Healthcare System
Monica Knight* - Clarke County School District
Terry Tellefson* - Advantage Behavioral Health
Diane Dunston* or Jennifer Richardson - Neighborhood Health
Tracy Thompson - Mercy Clinic
Deb Williams - Nurses Clinic
Claude Burnett - Athens-Clarke County Health Department
Bob Galen - School of Public Health, UGA
Farris Johnson - Family Practice
Pamela Robinson - Wellcare
Kathy Hoard - Athens-Clarke County Commission
Karen Schlanger - UGA Cooperative Extension
Support Staff:
John Culpepper - Athens-Clarke County Finance Dept
Delene Porter
Mark Ebell - Professor, Family Practice
Fanning Institute
Sherrie Ford - Power Partners
Adam Gobin – Intern,
Lisa Caine - Daily Bread
School of Public Health
* Indicates PPA Steering Committee Member
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
Partners for a Prosperous Athens:
http://prosperousathens.org/
OneAthens
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
The Problem
Georgia is:
– 45th in the nation in overall health status
– Last in Public Health Spending
– Last in Per Capita Health Spending
– Tied for 6th as the Most Obese State
– 4th worst in Infectious Disease
– Tied for 8th worst in Premature Death
– Tied for 7th highest in Infant Mortality
– Tied for 10th worst in Cardiovascular Deaths
Georgia Health Policy Center
Georgia State University
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
The Problem
• Employer-sponsored insurance coverage
is eroding:
– 3% decline in firms offering between
2002 and 2004
– Most decline in coverage at firms
with 25 to 99 employees
• Most firms that do not offer
coverage say it costs too much.
Georgia Health Policy Center
Georgia State University
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
The Problem
The uninsured are:
• more likely to delay seeking care.
• less likely to get needed medications for
chronic diseases.
• more likely to seek emergency care.
• sicker when they are admitted to the
hospital.
• more likely to be re-admitted for the
same illness.
Georgia Health Policy Center
Georgia State University
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
The Problem
A family of three with a household
income of $50,000 pays about $800
annually toward the cost of the
uninsured.
Georgia Health Policy Center
Georgia State University
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
The Problem
• Georgia ranks 37th in ratio of physicians
to population
(Banner-Herald, 5/20/07)
• Average county in Georgia 108:1
physician ratio
(GA County Guide, 2005-2006)
• ACC 310:1 physician ratio
(GA County Guide, 2005-2006)
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
The Problem
• 26,000 (28.3%) people in ACC
live in poverty (Bishop, 2006)
• 19,843 (19%) people in ACC
are uninsured
(Georgia Health Policy Center/Georgia State University)
(GA County Guide; 2005 Census Estimate)
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
PPA Findings
• Growing number of uninsured and increasing
demand for health services. Much of the
demand is being handled by the emergency
rooms.
• Continued reductions in payments by
Medicare, Medicaid, and health insurance.
Increasing operating costs. Clinics for
uninsured and underinsured are at capacity.
• Growing Hispanic population in need of care.
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
PPA Findings
• Difficult to access affordable specialty care
such as dental, mental health pharmacy,
and physical/occupational therapy.
• Reductions in funding for clinics serving
uninsured and underinsured.
• Collaboration among providers is lacking.
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
PPA Findings
There seems to be one underlying
challenge. This challenge is our “culture of
fragmented response” to poverty and our
community’s “focus on process and talk”
without follow-through. Each committee’s
story calls for a “culture of comprehensive,
collaborative action and accountability for
community results”.
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
The message is clear – we must change the status
quo. While every community institution can
justify the programs they operate, the negative
indicators for the community stay constant.
Our biggest challenge is to lead this community
into a “culture of collaboration”, working
together towards a greater vision. We must
demonstrate our willingness to embrace new
ideas, share power, become involved, demand
excellence and, where necessary, consider the
appropriateness of new ways.
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
Product
A community health foundation with an
approved plan to coordinate and fund
basic health services for those in
poverty and near poverty by January
2008.
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
Product Components: Phase One
• Primary Care
• Medications
• Specialty Care
• Prevention
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
Product Components: Phase Two
• Community Health Foundation
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
Timeline
OneAthens —
• Define product by mid-June.
• Report to the community in July or
August.
Health Team — Phase One
• Demand & Capacity – 1 to 2 meetings.
• Brainstorm models & ideas – 2 meetings.
• Develop strategic plan – 4 meetings.
• If we meet every two weeks – finish August 31.
OneAthens Health Initiative Team
Ground Rules
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Start on Time and End on Time.
Keep an open mind.
Discussion must remain on the initiative being discussed.
Be respectful of one another, which includes not talking over
each other.
No personal attacks – no personal agendas.
Our meetings are open to the public; everyone is welcome to
attend.
Only team members will be allowed to participate in the
discussion during the meeting.
Public comments and input related to items on the
agenda will be welcome during the last 15 minutes of
the meeting.