Striving to make high quality health care the standard for rural East Central Illinois, Gibson Area Hospital is developing a new project which will help establish its thirteen clinics as patient-centered medical homes (PCMH). The creation of Community Care Coordination, a grant-funded program uniting Gibson Area Hospital with Paxton-based partners Community Resource & Counseling Center and the Ford County Public Health Department, is the first step in meeting the goals of the PCMH model: to improve quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of care while meeting patients’ unique needs and preferences (www.aafp.org).
Through the Community Care Coordinationprogram, patients suffering from Type 2 diabetes, congestive heart failure (CHF), or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will be identified and referred for care coordination services. In order to participate, patients must also live within the defined rural area which includes all of Ford County and portions of Iroquois, Livingston, McLean, De Witt, Champaign, and Vermilion Counties. The Community Care Coordination will help accomplish whole-person, evidence-based, coordinated care to ultimately improve the health and quality of life for patients and their families.
Patients who meet the criteria listed above are encouraged to speak to their Gibson Area Hospital provider about the benefits of Community Care Coordination services. Individuals may also call the Referral Center and speak with a Community Health Worker (CHW). The CHW may provide educational materials, resources and support information, as well as assistance with referrals for additional care and access to services.
Program services are available around the clock. For more information, please contact the Referral Center at 217-784-4180 or e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected].
