Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of articles exploring the results of the Jasper County Community Health Needs Assessment.
Coming in as the second highest priority for Jasper County, shortage of healthcare professionals in not a new issue for the area. From OB services no longer being offered at MercyOne in Newton to more than 85 percent of Jasper County residents receiving healthcare services outside of the county in the past two years, the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) shined an even brighter light on the growing problem.
“This is really alarming to me,” Jasper County Health Department Administrator Becky Pryor said.
According to the assessment conducted over the past eight months by MercyOne Newton Medical Center and the Jasper County Health Department, secondary data indicates there are significantly less primary care providers in Jasper County than in Iowa or the United States. According to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, there is a rate of 55.54 primary care providers per 100,000 population in Jasper County. That is almost less than half of the state average of 109.71 per 100,000 and less than half of the national average of 113.29. Primary health providers include practicing physicians specializing in general practice medicine, family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics.
More than one-third of those surveyed responded it was difficult to get a healthcare appointment and rated access to healthcare the second highest priority for the county. Healthcare (including access to primary care and specialists) was rated the number one needed improvement.
In line with the issue, perception of the quality of healthcare was rated at 3.3 out of five from those surveyed. The topics which had a rating below the 3.3 average included: inpatient services (hospital) at 3.26, pain clinic (hospital) at 3.14, emergency care (hospital) at 3.09, pediatrics at 3.08, family planning services at 3.07, disability centers at 2.97, nursing home/long term care at 2.97, urology at 2.83, substance treatment at 2.76, mental health at 2.75 and neurology — specialist (hospital) at 2.67.
To address the shortage in healthcare professionals, a Jasper County Community Health Improvement Plan was developed with four main objectives. They include:
1. Expanding education and training opportunities for healthcare positions including funding, accelerated training programs and online by Dec. 31, 2026. Work to complete this task includes working with DMACC in Newton to promote healthcare career opportunities and offer a job fair and explore employer on-the-job training programs.
2. Work on recruitment for careers in healthcare fields with financial, competitive salaries and benefits by Dec. 31, 2026. To do this, MercyOne Newton will work with healthcare recruiters to draw more people to Newton and explore options for OB providers in Newton. Newton Clinic will explore options for medical provider recruitment and retention. Capstone will explore options for provider recruitment and retention and the county will explore marketing to potential healthcare employees.
3. Focus on retaining existing healthcare professionals by Dec. 31, 2026. In the county, healthcare agencies will meet and discuss ways to keep existing staff including upward mobility programs. The Jasper County Cares Coalition will explore options for presenters about burn out and leadership.
4. Explore technology and innovation to improve access to healthcare by Dec. 31, 2030. Local healthcare offices will research telehealth and remote options for providing health coverage.