Accomplishments
hildren's Health Initiative
In 1996, the Citizen Advisory Board (CAB) completed a community health needs assessment. Three workgroups were formed according to the age group of the population to be studied - birth through 19, 20 through 64, and 65 and older. Access to health services was identified as the leading barrier to a healthier community by all three workgroups. Access was further defined as the ability to: (1) obtain affordable health insurance, (2) get to a health care provider when services are needed, and (3) find a physician who is accepting new patients.
As a result of this valuable work, the Chautauqua County Health Network (CCHN) established the Children's Health Initiative Task Force to develop strategies to reduce the number of uninsured children in the county. The New York State Department of Health expanded eligibility and benefits for children in its Medicaid program and the health insurance program, Child Health Plus. The CCHN was successful in partnering with Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. and the Western New York Healthcare Association for a State grant to facilitate enrollment in Child Health Plus and Medicaid. The CCHN also worked with the County Executive and County Legislature to pass a resolution declaring that "No child should be without health insurance."
ducation and advocacy
Actions by federal and state governments, insurance companies and other organizations create changes affecting health care services do not always benefit patients or providers. Together, through the CCHN, the hospitals have accomplished what had never been done before to correct rules and regulations. As a result, reimbursements have been enhanced by millions of dollars each year to the hospitals and other providers in the county.
hautauqua Integrated Delivery System
County residents on Medicare who have supplemental insurance continue to see their out-of-pocket medical expenses increasing to levels that are unaffordable. The federal government has been promoting managed care to those on Medicare, but the financial and administrative burden on health care providers has been severe and the health maintenance organizations have had little experience in Chautauqua County or other rural counties.
In response, the CCHN launched a partnership of physicians and hospitals in the county and formed the Chautauqua Integrated Delivery System IPA, LLC (IDS). Currently, over one hundred physicians, Brooks Memorial and WCA Hospitals are members of the Chautauqua IDS. The Chautauqua IDS has completed two successful years in a partnership with Univera Healthcare, a health maintenance organization based in Buffalo, and its Medicare managed care plan, SeniorChoice. Crucial to the Chautauqua IDS's partnership with Univera is local control of the use of medical services. The Chautauqua IDS staff has also served an important role as advocates of member physicians and hospitals to Univera.
This SeniorChoice program has provided quality care to nearly 2,000 Chautauqua County seniors and saved them millions of dollars in Medicare supplemental premiums. At the same time, the Chautauqua IDS achieved a financial surplus in both 1998 and 1999. As a result, the Chautauqua IDS Board of Directors has authorized a task force to look at the possible expansion into the commercial health insurance market.
estern New York Rural Area Health Education Center
The Western New York Rural Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program is a locally directed, federally and state supported program to improve health care by establishing partnerships between the institutions that train health professionals and the communities that need them the most.
The CCHN has agreed to be the sponsoring agency in Chautauqua County for an AHEC regional satellite office. A site coordinator is employed by the CCHN to coordinate local needs. Major goals of the AHEC program are to: 1) coordinate placement of health professional trainees into underserved areas in hopes of recruiting needed providers, 2) enlist the participation of area providers as training sites, 3) educate students about health professional career opportunities, and 4) identify continuing education and other activities that enhance careers of local providers.
ranslation services
Another important contribution of the Citizen Advisory Board is the identification of the need for better communication between patients and providers. Through a grant from the Gebbie Foundation and the leadership of board chairs of CCHN member hospitals, a task force has implemented a telephone translation service whereby patients who do not speak English well can communicate with physicians or other health care providers in CCHN member hospitals. The task force is also having important hospital patient care documents translated from English into Spanish.
Activities
- Established Consortium
- Assembled Steering Committee (July 1995)
- Preliminary contact with Foundations (August 1995)
- Organized Citizen Advisory Board (September 1995)
- Preliminary contact with the New York State Department of Health, Office of Rural Health (February 1996)
- Chautuaqua County Health Network became incorporated (November 1998)
- Chautauqua County Health Network received 501(c)(3) not-for-profit status (March 2000)
- Developed Basic Strategy
- Agreed on needs and goals (September 1995)
- Obtained Foundation approval (December 1995)
- Obtained initial Office of Rural Health approval (May 1996)
- Obtained additional Office of Rural Health approval (September 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999)
- Held retreat to advance efforts towards collaboration and cooperation (September 1997)
- Surveyed Board of Directors to determine direction and objectives through the end of 2001 (March 2000)
- Completed 5-Year Report of the Chautauqua County Health Network [Contact the CCHN office to receive a copy](August 2000)
- Preserved and Enhanced Market Share
- Congressional passage of Medicaid reimbursement enhancement (November 1995)
- Organized collaborative working groups on purchasing, laboratory and emergency room (December 1995)
- Submitted regional proposal for provider sponsored Medicare services to Chautauqua County (January 1996)
- Established task force on an integrated delivery system (February 1996)
- Established management services organization task force (February 1996)
- Bi-state laboratory services compact initiated (April 1996)
- Published Citizen Advisory Board community needs assessment (June 1996)
- New York State passage of legislation authorizing Integrated Delivery Systems (July 1996)
- * Approved business plan for Chautauqua Integrated Delivery System (September 1996)
- School Health Initiative Task Force convened (April 1997)
- Chautauqua Integrated Delivery System became incorporated (May 1997)
- Gained approval for federal wage index adjustment (July 1997)
- Signed contract with Univera Healthcare (formerly HealthCarePlan) as business partner in Medicare managed care venture (December 1997)
- Campaign for Coverage Task Force convened. Initial project to reduce number of uninsured children through promotion of Child Health Plus and Medicaid (December 1997)
- Translation Services Committee convened (December 1998)
- School Health Initiative Task Force and Campaign for Coverage Task Force merged into Children's Health Initiative Task Force (January 1999)
- Citizen Advisory Board calls for establishment of Physician Clearinghouse (February 1999)
- Website Committee convened (March 1999)
- Children's Health Initiative Task Force received approval for Facilitated Enrollment Grant program to enroll children into Medicaid or Child Health Plus (November 1999)
- Completed preliminary feasibility study for commercial health insurance venture (March 2000)
- Initiated discussions to establish a consortium amoung four Western New York Rural Health Networks (August 2000)
Agenda For The Future
ffordable Insurance for All Residents
The CCHN intends to be the catalyst that puts Chautauqua County at the forefront of efforts to make sure everyone in the county has access to quality health care services through affordable health insurance.
hildren's Access to Services
The CCHN will continue to focus its efforts toward eliminating barriers to health care services for children. The CCHN will increase its efforts to reduce the number of uninsured children in the county. The Children's Health Initiative Task Force is also developing a plan to involve communities or neighborhoods in identifying barriers to health services for children, and developing solutions to overcome these barriers.
ommercial Health Insurance
The CCHN will work to ensure that effective locally managed commercial health insurance is available to employers. To be successful, the community plan will include broad participation of county health care providers and employers.
ommunity Awareness about Health and
Available Health Care Services
An objective of the CCHN is to keep as many quality health services in the community as possible and to develop new local medical services. Beginning in the Fall of 2000, the CCHN, in partnership with the County Legislature, will host community forums to inform and educate county residents about child and senior citizen health topics, financial and other difficulties facing health care providers, and views on health insurance provided by employers.
| Annual Report 2001-2002 |
Mission, Purpose & History | Board of Directors | Map | Hospitals
Physician Search | Citizen Advisory Board | Accomplishments & Activities
Children's Health Initiative | Area Health Education Center
Translation Services | Chautauqau Integrated Delivery System
Hospital Employment | Links of Interest | Contact CCHN