New Rural Health Task Force named

A new legislative task force can play a key role in increasing access to quality health care in rural and other underserved areas, organizers of a 2003 statewide summit said today.

"We have seen real progress since Sen. (Paul) Simon brought a cross-section of Illinoisans together shortly before his death to address critical issues regarding the availability of good health care throughout Illinois. But much remains on the agenda fashioned at that summit, and we believe the Joint Task Force on Rural Health can move our state significantly ahead on several of the items," said Mike Lawrence, director of SIUC’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.

"As a sponsor of the health care summit, the School of Medicine is pleased that the important work of addressing the needs of rural and underserved citizens of Illinois will continue with the naming of this legislative task force," said Dr. J. Kevin Dorsey, dean and provost of the medical school. "As a physician I know that the best treatment will not be started until the diagnosis is known. With the support of our legislators and attention given to the summit recommendations, I have great hope that we will see marked improvement in health care access as well as other improvements in the health of Illinois communities."

The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute and the medical school were principal co-sponsors of the Springfield summit along with the Illinois Rural Health Association.

Appointed to the task force, established by a joint House-Senate resolution, are Reps. William Delgado, D-Chicago, Patricia Bellock, R-Westmont, John Bradley, D-Marion, and Rich Brauer, R-Petersburg, and Sens. James Clayborne Jr., D-Belleville, Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, Deanna Demuzio, D-Carlinville, and Dan Rutherford, R-Pontiac.

Delgado, Bellock, Clayborne and Righter participated in the November 2003 summit that brought health care professionals, educators and community activists to Springfield from all parts of Illinois.

A major summit recommendation was to establish the legislative task force. Other recommendations called for:

• Creating a funding mechanism to help develop and expand education programs that can lead to careers in the health professions – particularly for minority students and those from rural and disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Forming partnerships between government, educators and the health care industry to develop workplace-based, interdisciplinary models for educating allied health professionals locally.
• Providing funds for bilingual and bicultural education of health care professionals.
• Conducting a comprehensive study to identify and modify state regulations that have a disproportionately negative impact on health care providers and consumers in rural and underserved areas.
• Designing transportation systems to improve access to health care in rural and underserved areas.
• Exploring the use of school-based clinics to extend health care services for children in rural and underserved areas.
• Creating a funding mechanism for telemedicine that is equitable for both recipients and providers of health care services.