Health News
- Kentucky's Health Departments Are Working On Changes, To Adapt To Changing Times
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Health departments across Kentucky come in all shapes and sizes, and typically work independently from each other to serve the specific needs of their community within their budgets. But to deal with changes in...
- Barren River Health Dept. Accredited; Joins 5 Others In Ky. (franklin, Fayette, Madison, Northern Ky. And Three Rivers)
The Barren River District Health Department has joined five others in Kentucky with national accreditation. The Public Health Accreditation Board announced Sept. 18 that the Bowling Green-based agency and nine other health departments had been accredited,...
- Health Departments Raise, Or Try To Raise, Tax Rates To Offset State Cuts, Higher Benefit Costs And Medicaid Payment Problems
Some county health departments are trying, and others may try, to increase property-tax rates to make up for Medicaid shortfalls, program cuts and the rising costs of employee benefits so they can continue providing essential public health services for...
- Three Kentucky Health Departments In First Group Up For National Accreditation; Requires Local Health Assessment, Improvement Plan
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News Three Kentucky health departments are among the first in the nation to be considered for national accreditation, a process that could help improve patient care and put the agencies in closer touch with their communities'...
- Public Health Champion Bravely Fights Cancer, Inspires Many
Dr. Rice Leach, who has championed public health in Kentucky for decades, is inspiring many by the upbeat way he is battling cancer. "He has talked about it at Lexington-Fayette County Board of Health meetings and at Rotary Club meetings. His hat of choice,...
Health News
Health departments prepare for challenges posed by health-care reform law
No one really has a clue what changes from the health-care reform law will mean to Kentuckians and public health departments are preparing for the uncertainty, reports Kristy Cox of Business Lexington.
"The Affordable Care Act will have an impact on health departments. It is going to put a whole lot more people out there on the street on health insurance" of one kind or another, Dr. Rice Leach, head of the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, told Cox.
"I think how health departments are impacted is going to look a little different depending on what part of the state they're in," Rice said. "The United States has passed a law that creates an entitlement for 30 or 40 million people, and here in Lexington, for 10,000 or 20,000 more people to have health insurance. Now, who is going to take care of them?"
If the private sector can't handle the increased patient load, Leach said, the stress goes onto the health departments, meaning they may be expected to provide a broad "continuum" of care for acute medical needs, including doctors and laboratory services. Leach said he hopes other systems will step up to provide care so health departments can continue to focus on preventative services.
Many factors determine what health departments can and can't do as well as their ability to generate dollars. Leach called the services mandates by state and federal governments as "mission critical activities," which include preventive health, communicable disease control, public health education, emergency response, sanitary code and restaurant inspection and public health policy, writes Cox.
Despite the challenging economic environment created by budget cuts and managed-care non-payment issues, Kentucky health departments are trying to stay focused on their big-picture mission. Some departments are writing grants and others, like the Lincoln Trail District Health Department, has sent nurses into school systems in attempt to increase revenue through expanded clinical services, Cox reports.
"The Affordable Care Act will have an impact on health departments. It is going to put a whole lot more people out there on the street on health insurance" of one kind or another, Dr. Rice Leach, head of the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, told Cox.
"I think how health departments are impacted is going to look a little different depending on what part of the state they're in," Rice said. "The United States has passed a law that creates an entitlement for 30 or 40 million people, and here in Lexington, for 10,000 or 20,000 more people to have health insurance. Now, who is going to take care of them?"
If the private sector can't handle the increased patient load, Leach said, the stress goes onto the health departments, meaning they may be expected to provide a broad "continuum" of care for acute medical needs, including doctors and laboratory services. Leach said he hopes other systems will step up to provide care so health departments can continue to focus on preventative services.
Many factors determine what health departments can and can't do as well as their ability to generate dollars. Leach called the services mandates by state and federal governments as "mission critical activities," which include preventive health, communicable disease control, public health education, emergency response, sanitary code and restaurant inspection and public health policy, writes Cox.
Despite the challenging economic environment created by budget cuts and managed-care non-payment issues, Kentucky health departments are trying to stay focused on their big-picture mission. Some departments are writing grants and others, like the Lincoln Trail District Health Department, has sent nurses into school systems in attempt to increase revenue through expanded clinical services, Cox reports.
- Kentucky's Health Departments Are Working On Changes, To Adapt To Changing Times
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Health departments across Kentucky come in all shapes and sizes, and typically work independently from each other to serve the specific needs of their community within their budgets. But to deal with changes in...
- Barren River Health Dept. Accredited; Joins 5 Others In Ky. (franklin, Fayette, Madison, Northern Ky. And Three Rivers)
The Barren River District Health Department has joined five others in Kentucky with national accreditation. The Public Health Accreditation Board announced Sept. 18 that the Bowling Green-based agency and nine other health departments had been accredited,...
- Health Departments Raise, Or Try To Raise, Tax Rates To Offset State Cuts, Higher Benefit Costs And Medicaid Payment Problems
Some county health departments are trying, and others may try, to increase property-tax rates to make up for Medicaid shortfalls, program cuts and the rising costs of employee benefits so they can continue providing essential public health services for...
- Three Kentucky Health Departments In First Group Up For National Accreditation; Requires Local Health Assessment, Improvement Plan
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News Three Kentucky health departments are among the first in the nation to be considered for national accreditation, a process that could help improve patient care and put the agencies in closer touch with their communities'...
- Public Health Champion Bravely Fights Cancer, Inspires Many
Dr. Rice Leach, who has championed public health in Kentucky for decades, is inspiring many by the upbeat way he is battling cancer. "He has talked about it at Lexington-Fayette County Board of Health meetings and at Rotary Club meetings. His hat of choice,...