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Infrastructure and Access to Care In Rural Georgia

This study explores the barriers faced by Georgians in accessing adequate healthcare in rural areas of Georgia. It examines the role of the Georgia Department of Public Health and various initiatives in expanding access to care, including telehealth and telemedicine programs. The study also highlights the importance of partnerships and workforce development in sustaining the public health system.

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Infrastructure and Access to Care In Rural Georgia

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  1. Infrastructure and Access to Care In Rural Georgia Senate Barriers to Georgians' Access to Adequate Healthcare Study Committee September 17, 2017

  2. Mission Statement • Prevent disease, injury and disability • Promote health and well-being • Prepare for and respond to disasters

  3. Georgia Department of Public Health 159 County Health Departments • County Boards of Health 18 Public Health Districts 18 District Health Directors 1 Commissioner 1 Board of Public Health

  4. Primary Care and Health Care Delivery

  5. Public Health Department Services • Epidemiology • Notifiable disease reporting/ surveillance • Influenza surveillance • Infection control and disease surveillance during emergencies and disasters • Drug resistant disease tracking and reporting • Immunization program assessment • Child Health • Women’s Health • Immunizations • Ryan White Clinic • HIV-AIDS Program • Children with Special Needs • Clinical and support services • Communicable/Infectious Disease • Women’s Infants and Children (WIC) • Environmental Health (i.e., food safety inspections, swimming pools, septic system permits, rabies control)

  6. Specialized Services • Specialized services provided in some health departments • International Travel Clinics • Centering Programs • Farm worker’s Programs • Telehealth/telemedicine • Oral Health

  7. Access to Care

  8. Expanding Access • DPH is accessible and feasible • DPH is uniquely positioned to serve all Georgians in that there is a county health department in all 159 counties • Payment for services is accepted based on sliding scale fees • DPH is working to expand the number of contract providers and the number of billable services

  9. Expanding Access • Sustaining the public health workforce • Career tracks have been developed for Nursing, Epidemiology, Environmental Health, Public Health Lab and Pharmacy. • Increasing partnerships between public health and other private/community partners • Annual Healthcare Partnership Assessment and statewide summit • Priority in over half the districts’ strategic plans

  10. Expand Telehealth and Telemedicine Initiatives • Children’s Medical Services • Developmental & Genetics • Endocrinology • Nephrology • Neurosurgery • Pulmonology • Sickle Cell • Infectious Disease (HIV/AIDS) • Patients at local clinics see DPH Infectious Disease specialist • Mobile presentations from home or community setting • High Risk Ob Clinic (Centering Pregnancy) • Ultrasound/Colposcopy • Consult w/ Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist • WIC Nutrition • Breast feeding support • Nutrition education • Staff training/development

  11. Additional Telehealth Projects • Collaborative school-based behavioral health telemedicine pilot in Lamar County Schools • Sickle Cell Telemedicine Clinics • Diabetes Self Management/Therapy • Breast Cancer Genomics Project • Teledentistry • Teledermatology

  12. Telemedicine Partners

  13. Thank You

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