Integrated Rural Health Information Networks

Early in the 1980's several prominent authors and scholars trumpeted the coming of the Information Age. Each projected greater information use, the increased value of information, changes in the skill requirements of workers, the enhanced power base of information producers and users, and the need to share information to survive in a worldwide economy. Today the results of this growth into the information age can be seen all around us. Banking services can be completed from a variety of remote locations, including our own homes. Most important, though, for each of us banking is now much more than simply deposits and withdrawals to a checking or savings account. Each of us can easily get to information and services on money markets, stocks and bonds, and other investments from our personal computer through services such as Internet, America On-Line, Prodigy and Windows(TM) On-Line.

Even industries thought to be immune to advances in information technology find users routinely accessing information quickly through enhanced computerization. Today many farmers and ranchers participate in the information age accessing information as varied as feed or grain prices, weather forecasts, and worldwide market trends. The 1990s saw an additional explosion of this trend in greater information access and use because of advanced telecommunications. The world is coming to our doorsteps regardless of whether we live in a large urban center or in some remote rural area.

Recently the information age and advanced telecommunications phenomenon began to invade the lives of rural citizens in a variety of ways. Federal politics are intertwined with issues regarding telecommunications deregulation and insuring access to all citizens, despite location and status, to advanced technologies. During a recent rural economic development summit, both the President and Vice President tied the future of rural communities to their access to advanced telecommunications and information technology. Ms. Dena Puskin, the Acting Director of the Federal Office of Rural Health, also recently wrote about the opportunity to combine the advanced technology needs of healthcare with the needs of the entire community.

Many of the daily influences to move into the information age have been less political. During the summer of 1995 millions of people were introduced to the "Internet" because of movies in their local theaters. Newspapers now routinely carry articles and columnists whose sole purpose is to explain expanding technology uses. Today it's hard to escape the emphasis on technology and telecommunications.

Motivation for Integrated Rural Health Networks

Though many industries experienced this information "revolution" early in the mid to late 1980s, healthcare has only recently begun to experience increasing pressures to enter the Information Age. For many in the healthcare profession, the pressures to make greater use of information and advanced telecommunications have been spurred by heightened awareness of

• the costs of providing healthcare services,
• managed care threats, opportunities and responsibilities,
• an emphasis on preventive healthcare services and education,
• the opportunities to develop community and hospital networks, and
• the opportunities presented by these newer technologies and advanced telecommunications.

These influences encouraged the Rural Health Futures, Inc. and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to consider how information technology could be used to address these issues, especially considering how the issues impacted rural health care and EACH/RPCH networks. Consequently, a review of literature and case studies of Kansas hospitals were used in the Network Information System Assessment and Planning Process (NISAPP) to develop a series of planning workbooks. These workbooks are targeted at healthcare providers, hospital networks and community networks. The workbooks guide the reader through an assessment of technology and help determine how to change or add technology so greater information is available.

The NISAPP Workbook on Institutional Integration of Health Information will be useful to a particular healthcare provider. Hospital networks can use the NISAPP Workbook on Hospital Network Integration of Health Information . Communities should consider using the NISAPP Workbook on Community Health Information Networks along with the Kansas Community Health Assessment Process Workbook. But before investigating any of these solution oriented workbooks we would recommend a quick review on the background and impediments to developing integrated rural health networks.

The following table is intended to focus your needs on the specific workbook that will be most helpful.

For additional information contact Kelli Schneider @ (970) 207-9798 or

E-mail address ptc@socencom.net