Rural Health Summit Recommendations

November 2, 2005

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – 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 Senator 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 the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University.

"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 Southern Illinois University School of Medicine were principal co-sponsors of the Springfield summit along with the Illinois Rural Health Association.

Sheldon Keyser, the association’s president, said, "This task force provides an opportunity for rural leaders and legislators to discuss the existing health care infrastructure and explore ways to improve access to services in rural Illinois.  We look forward to working with the Task Force and others to develop a comprehensive plan for the delivery of services in rural Illinois."

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. [ Note to media – individual comments from task force members are attached.]

"Even though a major focus of the summit was rural Illinois, we also recognized that people in inner-city areas had significant problems accessing quality health care. We have seen expansion of coverage to hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans, but being able to access physicians, dentists and mental health professionals is equally crucial," Lawrence said.

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.

###

"We can no longer allow having access to affordable, quality health care to be a privilege. Access to health care should be a person’s right and it is time that we, as legislators, commit ourselves to fight until every person in Illinois has that access. Illinois is taking admirable steps in providing health care, but more must be done to help those who don’t have it, particularly in rural areas, where a lack of resources results in decreased access to health care. As a member of this task force, I will work hard to ensure that residents of rural Illinois are provided with the accessible quality health care that they are entitled to."

Rep. William Delgado (D-Chicago)

"Rural health care is one of the most pressing issues in the State of Illinois today due to the fact that we must assure that the residents of rural Illinois will be served with access to quality care and doctors."

Rep. Patricia Bellock (R-Westmont)

"I look forward to working with the task force and the state’s leading rural health experts to explore ways we can ensure every"resident of rural Illinois has access to affordable health care. In Southern Illinois, we have overcome a lot of obstacles concerning access to health care, including the recent passage of medical malpractice reforms to help keep doctors from fleeing our region. I’ll continue working to pass new laws that improve the ability of my constituents to remain healthy."

Rep. John Bradley (D-Marion)

"While we are very fortunate to have excellent medical facilities, doctors and other health care providers in Springfield, there are many communities in rural Illinois without any physicians to care for their families. “Access to quality health care is a basic necessity that all families, regardless of where they live, deserve. I am proud to have been named to this task force and look forward to addressing the many challenges facing health care in rural Illinois."

Rep. Rich Brauer (R-Petersburg)

"The newly formed Task Force on Rural Health is an important step in studying the effects of Illinois residents who live in less populated, rural settings. We will address the obstacles that rural people face every day as they try to find access to quality health care."

Sen. James Clayborne Jr. (D-Belleville)

"The formation of this task force is important for our downstate residents who have access to only a limited number of physicians and hospitals. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to determine how we can access quality and affordable health care for all residents in Illinois, particularly those living in rural areas."

Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon)

"Access to affordable, high quality and continuously improving health care should be expected by everyone in Illinois, particularly those who reside in rural areas. I am pleased to have the opportunity to further study rural health care issues by being a member of the task force."

Sen. Deanna Demuzio (D-Carlinville)

"Often residents who live in rural parts of the state have a difficult time obtaining health care because there are very few physicians practicing nearby that they can turn to. Additionally, the isolated location can make it difficult for the rural population to regularly visit with their physicians. The Joint Task Force on Rural Health was created to specifically help Illinois’ rural residents access to affordable, quality health care, and increase the number of doctors and health care services that are serving rural communities."

Sen. Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac)