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Updated: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:16:49 MDT
Updated: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:16:49 MDT
Public Health - Executive SummaryHealth Care FinancingNinety percent of Utah's public health budget goes to patient care for Utahns who require assistance paying for their health care. The various health care financing programs are funded largely by federal dollars. The Division of Health Care Financing will be emphasizing improvements in care quality over the next several years.Several initiatives under consideration will improve the communications among providers treating Medicaid patients, including providing financial incentives to adopt electronic medical record systems. Community and Family Health ServicesIn the past five years, adult tobacco use, youth tobacco use, and child exposure to secondhand smoke in the home have decreased substantially. Utah's tobacco use rates remain the lowest in the U.S.Utah's rate of neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida has decreased by 50% over the past ten years, probably due to more women taking folic acid vitamins prior to becoming pregnant. CFHS has been working with health care providers, payers, and families to increase the percent of young children who are adequately immunized. The most recent data from 2006 shows that Utah has moved from 41st to 20th place among all the states for their percent of adequately immunized 2-year-olds. Utah will increase its efforts to reduce obesity rates, particularly in children. Obesity continues to increase in Utah along with the rest of the U.S: almost 55% of Utah adults are obese/overweight, and 1 in 4 children are at unhealthy weights. Health Systems ImprovementUtahns who come in contact with health care systems are protected by public licensing and regulation. Facilities as diverse as nursing homes, hospitals, radiology units, emergency medical responders and child care providers are inspected and licensed by the Division of Health Systems Improvement through the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services; the Bureau of Health Care Licensing, Certification and Resident Assessment; and the Bureau of Child Care Licensing.The Division's Bureau of Clinical Services is designed to assure adequate access to needed health care services for Utah's citizens served by the Medicaid program, which includes the Primary Care Network (PCN). This is done through the Health Clinics of Utah in three medical clinics (Ogden, Salt Lake, and Provo) and the Family Dental Plan with six dental clinics (Ogden, Salt Lake [2], Magna, Provo, and St. George) plus a mobile dental clinic. In an effort to improve health care safety the Division is charged with the patient safety initiative, begun in 2001 and coordinated with the Utah Hospital Association and HealthInsight. This program recently initiated a statewide "correct site surgery" program and expanded the number of reportable events by health care facilities. Additional Division responsibilities include providing staff and support for the Department's Bioterrorism and Disaster Response activities; operating the Office of Primary Care and Rural Health which provides grants and educational loan repayment so that rural and under served areas can maintain adequate medical facilities, equipment, and trained personnel to care for our state's medically under served populations; and supporting an Office of American Indian/Alaska Native Health in cooperation with the Division of Health Care Financing. Epidemiology and Laboratory ServicesThe Division of Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (ELS) watches for cases of infectious disease that could cause an outbreak and for diseases that suggest that a public food or water supply has been contaminated. Disease investigators carefully monitor information reported to the local and state health departments for evidence of infectious diseases such as influenza, food-borne illness, and sexually transmitted diseases. They also look for cases of exposure to environmental hazards and for individuals with symptoms that might have been caused by acts of terrorism. This past year, ELS detected and investigated 2,857 communicable diseases, including E. coli infections, influenza, and West Nile virus infections and investigated 93 disease outbreak clusters.In addition to identifying infectious diseases, ELS also works to minimize the impact of disease on affected citizens by referring them for treatment and other services. Disease investigators and health educators work closely with hospitals, doctor's offices, community clinics, and local health departments to provide information to the public. They work to ensure that comprehensive services are offered to people living with diseases have a life long impact, including HIV infection, hepatitis C, and tuberculosis. ELS is working diligently to help Utah prepare for a possible episode of pandemic influenza (avian flu). Coordination of efforts between public health, hospitals, health care providers and volunteer organizations are striving to stay ahead of an outbreak that will impact thousands of Utahns. Utah's public health laboratory is nationally recognized for its scientific rigor and professional expertise. It is one of a handful of public health laboratories in the U.S. that serves a multi-state area. Despite the age and condition of the facility, it is prepared to rapidly identify pathogens for hundreds of diseases, including those that have been identified as terrorism threats. The 2007 legislature provided funding for the replacement of the current public health laboratory. The development of a new, state of the art facility will greatly enhance Utah's ability to detect and respond to health threats. Content updated: November 2007. |