17. County Data Jefferson County, Washington is a sparsely populated area of the Olympic Peninsula with a total population of just under 30,000 Jefferson County is ranked 27 out of 39 for population in Washington State.
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19. Central county- Mount Olympus lies in the center of the county and the Olympic National Forest; limited population due to the park
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21. Demographics The county seat and most densely populated town is Port Townsend with 8,895 residents Population density per square mile is 16.0; Jefferson County ranks 29 out of 39 in Washington State for this measure 92% of the population has a high school diploma or completion certificate (WA state 87%) 28.4% of the population has a Bachelor’s degree or higher (WA state 27.7%)
22. Socioeconomic Data Reported unemployment figures through October, 2009 was 7.6% (WA state 8.7%) 12.4% of adult residents are reported to live below the federal poverty level (WA state 11.3%) 18.8% of child residents are reported to live below the federal poverty level (WA state 16%) The largest employers in the county are in the construction, paper manufacturing, food service and accommodation, health care, public administration, and education fields
23. Socioeconomic Data 20.4% (5800) of the county population is eligible for state Medicaid coverage according to income and disease/injury related conditions Rough estimates identify that 24% of the county population is medically uninsured (WA state 16%) Further estimates suggest that as high as 45% of the county population is medically under-insured
25. Health Facilities Jefferson Healthcare Hospital is a hospital district owned 25 bed critical access facility Trauma designation Level 4 facility OB/GYN designation Basic facility 5 primary care clinics including a ARNP run clinic in Quilcene, WA JC-MASH operates 2 free physician and ARNP staffed clinics a week Located in Port Townsend and Port Hadlock, WA
26. Distance to Care The only county facility designated for OB care is located in Port Townsend, WA Approximately 80% of the county area is more than 30 minutes from a facility that provides OB care The only county facility designated for emergency/ trauma care is located in Port Townsend, WA Approximately 80% of the county area is more than 30 minutes from definitive emergency care
27. Telehealth/Broadband Capability Populated areas of Jefferson County are well equipped for telehealth Broadband access has enabled a single vendor electronic medical records (EMR) system to be adopted in the east county area Jefferson Healthcare participates in a telehealth program for Parkinson’s disease patients and families
28. Positive Health Indicators 1 Washington State Department of Health (2009) 2 Encompasses all food safety metrics, including shellfish; Washington State DOH (2010)
31. Questions for Stakeholders: Insurance What organizations exist (if any) that provide outreach for the uninsured and assistance in obtaining basic health coverage? Are there any charitable organizations in the county that may provide safety net insurance coverage to qualified individuals or families? Are there any current plans for the public health department to secure funding for a subsidized community health clinic? Is there community support to provide neighborhood identification of at risk groups, i.e. low socioeconomic status, high incidence of substance abuse, etc? What resources are available in the current health system for under-insured cohorts that may be adversely affected by prohibitive health costs, i.e. charity programs, sliding scale fee providers?
32. Questions for Stakeholders: Access Are there any paramedic, PA, or ARNP level providers in the county that operate remote clinics? Are there any physician level providers willing to train physician extenders to operate remote clinics via telehealth? What infrastructure exists for telehealth programs both for in-county care and for out of county referrals? Are there any telehealth agreements in place for specialty care? Are plans being made for the establishment of government funded primary care community health clinics that will provide acute care and primary care visits? Are there grants available for rural health expansion now and under the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act?
35. Intervention Overview Insurance Access Establish outreach to link the uninsured to available and appropriate resources Inform uninsured and under-insured populations that affordable or free insurance and financial resources are available Advocate for the uninsured and under-insured through the local community, state government, and federal government Expand current systems to accommodate the needs of the entire community; build if needed Empower physician extenders, rural providers, and the community to play a more active role in innovation of the county health care system Advocate for medical home initiatives, community health clinics, and expanded EMS services
36. Intervention Models Insurance Access The CHOICE program provides funding, insurance resources, and Medical Home placement for uninsured and underinsured in 5 central-western Washington counties The Inland Northwest in Charge (INIC) program based in Spokane, WA provides 11 counties many services including outreach and enrollment for insurance programs for the underserved and uninsured, specialty care and primary care referral and placement, affordable insurance product design for low income working populations, and health resources The development of a training program for volunteer firefighters and EMT-Basic trained personnel to obtain paramedic certification Develop partnerships with other available assets in the county such the U.S. Coast Guard for coastal regions, and DIA/ Indian Health Services to collaborate in providing dedicated EMS coverage for the entire county The Red River (New Mexico) project allowed paramedics an expanded scope of practice under telephonic supervision of a dedicated physician
37. Intervention Detail Insurance Access Provide insurance counseling and resources Expand sliding scale and charity programs Establish outreach to inform the uninsured and under-insured of available programs Provide primary care and specialty care coordination and referral Develop safety net insurance for interim time period prior to full implementation of the PPACA legislation Establish funding and plans for community health clinics as safety net providers Expand the roles of EMS providers and physician extenders in remote areas via telehealth and advanced practice development Establish partnerships with out of county resources including federal health assets to cover specialty needs or emergency transports (flight resources)
38. Intervention Resources The CHOICE Regional Health Network Regional Access program- Olympia, WA The Inland Northwest in Charge program- Spokane, WA The Red River Project of the Taos Health Outreach Program- Taos, NM Western Regional Medical Command- Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA Washington State Department of Health- Tumwater, WA National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT)- Clinton, MS Northwest Region EMS and Trauma Care Council- Bremerton, WA Washington Academy of Physician Assistants (WAPA)- Seattle, WA Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA)- Seattle, WA ARNP’s United of Washington State- Kent, WA Washington State Medical Association- Seattle, WA
39. Proposed Community Engagement The Jefferson County community must be involved in and informed of all data analysis and proposed interventions. Community buy-in is essential for any program success. A plan would include:
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