The Kentucky Rural Health Works Program A collaborative effort of the: UK Department of Agricultural Economics UK Center for Rural Health UK Cooperative Extension Service Kentucky State Office of Rural Health

The Kentucky Rural Health Works Program The local health care sector plays a vital role in the economy of rural communities and is an essential component of rural development. In 1998, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania initiated a five state pilot project, The Rural Health Works Program, devoted to increasing the public awareness of the economic importance of the health care sector in rural communities. The objective of the Kentucky Rural Health Works (KRHW) Program is to provide communities and their leaders information about the impact of health care on rural development and business growth. The health care sector is often one of the largest employers in rural areas accounting for nearly 15 to 20 percent of all jobs within a community. KRHW is a collaborative effort. The University of Kentucky Department of Agricultural Economics, the UK Center for Rural Health, the UK Cooperative Extension Service, and the Kentucky State Office of Rural Health work together to assist rural Kentucky communities in promoting and supporting rural economic development and local health care networks.

What KRHW can provide: KRHW conducts applied and basic research studies, provides technical and management assistance services, offers counseling and referral services to health care providers and rural community leaders. Our efforts enable communities to make informed decisions about health networks and economic development, recruitment, retention, and health service needs in the community. KRHW can supply for local leaders and health officials a detailed overview of the impact of the health care sector on a rural community by examining the jobs the local health care industry creates and the additional income the health care sector generates for the rest of the community. KRHW also explores the community’s health care industry as a factor in the location decisions of other types of businesses. KRHW provides information to state and federal policymakers on the role of medical transfer payments in the rural economy. Population forecasts indicate further growth in the aging population and an increasing dependence on these types of programs. Changes in these government programs may have a major impact on the rural economy and prospects for rural economic development.

Benefits to Rural Communities KRHW promotes: Rural economic development Increased access to rural health care Improved sustainable rural community health planning Increased financial sustainability for rural hospitals and communities Stronger health care systems and rural communities

Benefits to Health Care Providers Development of strong health networks Estimation of demand for health services Evaluates the success of new services Estimates market share Optimizes operational and administrative decisions

Technical Assistance and Training KRHW provides hands-on training to rural health care providers on how to conduct market demand analysis and feasibility studies, such as: New health care service lines Outpatient or stand-alone clinics Other capital projects.

Public Information Tools To build support for a strong local health care system, public leaders, economic development officials and the general public need to understand the role of health care in the local economy. KRHW can provide tools to promote your local health care system as part of your community’s economic development. These tools include: Press Release Radio Spot Roadside Advertising Boards Flyers and brochures Using information in health and nutrition programming

KRHW could be an important tool for your community for increasing awareness about the role of health care in economic development, providing tools for communities to invest in health care as an engine of economic growth, conducting applied research to create a solid foundation for policy analysis and educational programming. For more information contact: Alison Davis KRHW Director Department of Agricultural Economics University of Kentucky Rural Economic Development (859) Richard C. Maurer Extension Professor University of Kentucky Department of Community, Leadership, and Development Community and Economic Development Programs (859)