The mortality rate in the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) www.arc.gov is 27 percent higher than the national average and the region has disproportionally higher rates of cancer, chronic diseases such as diabetes, substance abuse, and obesity as reported in the ARC 2016-2010 Strategic Plan.
In addition, many of the region’s communities in the distressed counties and areas lack access to reliable and affordable telecommunications infrastructure. According to the ARC Strategic Plan, the region should invest in proven health projects to help communities encourage health promotion and disease prevention activities.
The goal is to use telecommunications and other technology to not only reduce the high cost of healthcare services but at the same time, expand health professional education services within the region.
ARC has awarded healthcare grants for equipment and demonstration projects but the main focus is on developing rural primary care networks such as telemedicine networks in distressed counties and areas.
Eligible activities for grants also include support for rural health clinics and small hospitals, programs to eliminate gaps in delivering health services especially to children and the elderly. There is the need to also to provide oral and mental health.
To move research ideas along, the Center for Rural and Underserved Health Research at the University of Kentucky (UK) www.uky.edu recently received $2.8 million from HRSA’s Rural Health Research www.hrsa.gov/ruralhealth/research grant program. The Center is one of seven federally funded centers in the country dealing with health policy and services research in rural populations.
The award will provide $700,000 annually to operate the center for four years to address health services and systems in impoverished and underserved areas of Appalachia. The studies will include examining hospital and public health system collaborations, financial viability of rural hospitals, and patient-centered medical care.
Also, the Kentucky TeleCare Network http://kytelecare.med.uky.edu located at UK uses video conferencing, specialty cameras, and electronic stethoscopes to bring healthcare services normally available only in the UK Medical Center to community healthcare facilities anywhere in the state. TeleCare hosts nearly 20 medical specialty services and provides over 30,000 clinical tele encounters to rural communities and correctional facilities.