the potential for healthcare cooperatives in rural areas travis west ohio cooperative development...
TRANSCRIPT
The Potential for
Healthcare Cooperatives
in Rural Areas
Travis WestOhio Cooperative Development Center
OSU South Centers
• 29 counties in Appalachia Ohio
• Only 33 hospitals and 13 rural health
clinics available for the total population
of 1.45 million
Current Situation – Appalachian Ohio
• Appalachian counties rely economically
more on the health care sector for both
employment and income generated.
• 15.2 percent of employment and 14.2
percent of payroll income is generated by
the health care industry in Appalachia.
Relying on Healthcare
• Communities want to be attractive to new
businesses, but many cannot afford to
invest in health care facilities with updated
and advance technologies. Many
communities are looking for alternate ways
to provide adequate services without
depleting local resources.
What can they Afford?
• Cooperatives seem to be providing a
solution to many communities’ dilemma.
The combination of local established
businesses joining together to pool their
resources and services, creating a desirable
economies of scale has solved some
communities’ problem with adequate
health care services.
A Solution?
• User-owned
• User-controlled
• User-benefit
What is a Co-op?
• HospitalsHospitals
• Home Health Care
• Insurance
• Drug Purchasing
What Types of Cooperatives Exist?
• Composed of hospitals
• Combine services to share staffing (can now provide more services to its patients)
• Provides claims and financials services
Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative
• Hospitals
• Home Health CareHome Health Care
• Insurance
• Drug Purchasing
What Types of Cooperatives Exist?
• Home health care services
• Obtained county contract
• In-home service to elderly (cooking, cleaning, shopping)
• Provides employee health insurance
Cooperative Care
• Hospitals
• Home Health Care
• Insurance Insurance
• Drug Purchasing
What Types of Cooperatives Exist?
• Serves Northeast Ohio small businesses
• Provides health insurance options for small businesses’ employees
Council of Smaller Enterprises
• Hospitals
• Home Health Care
• Insurance
• Drug PurchasingDrug Purchasing
What Types of Cooperatives Exist?
• Composed of independent pharmacies
• Negotiate group purchasing agreements
• Coordinate a program that attracts new pharmacists to take jobs in small independent pharmacies
The Pharmacy Cooperative
• Florida Comm. Health Purchasing
Alliance
– Inability to get more providers (small
bus.)
Does it work in all Situations?
• Co-ops are a business model that
can assist rural communities
• Not the cure-all, but a viable option
• Access to healthcare an issue for
rural areas
Summary
