2004

WI=F=K OF

EAST CENTRAL HEALTHNET

TRISHA NISWANDf:R!THE NEWTON RECORD Community members place stickers near the issues they feel are most important 1n the East Central Healthnet Net– work forum held at East Central Commumty College last week. Andy Rowzee ot Esco (center) attended the meeting, along with several other business leaders to make their concerns known to the Healthnet researchers. The top five ISSues, in order of Importance were: affordable insurance, tort reform, preventative health, after-hours services and keepmg healthcare local. · CHealthnet holdsforum

EC Healthnet quick facts

LOCal and busm

represen at East Central Gonunwucy Co discll! s the results of a comprehen Ive conununity health assessment. Among top issues were affordable health instu·– ance and tort reform. Mississippi State University Extension Service Community Tlealth Coordinator Rachel Welborn opened the forum by annow1cing the survey rcsu!Lc;. Welborn said that out of 210 surveys mailed 43 people responded. an

light on m issues. as perceived by mmuruc instead of the healthcare prO\ ders, for the fow·-county area (9ladm, Kempel: Neshoba and Newton). Someconcerns were: i\ftordable in"ur– ance, healthcare education, drug costs, after-hours services. mental health, the availability of spt,>cialists and a well ness cente1: "I thinkwe heard some pretty t:ommon See FORUM. b.lck p

Stra!eg cy g ea:thcare seMCeS ~ m the network area • Increase pub c aware– ness of eXJstmg seMces offered WJtt11n the network • Convene network and oommtlnily planmng part– ners to develop a compre– hensive strategtc plan.