Data, planning key to public health
A recent commentary by Sedgwick County commissioners Richard Ranzau and Karl Peterjohn regarding the restoration of just one of about eight positions cut from the county’s health department reflected a fundamental lack of understanding and appreciation of the role of public health within the county (“Health coordinator is more nanny state,” Aug. 19 Opinion).
Though tempting to simply ignore their commentary and its incendiary name-calling, the content was so egregious that a rational response is necessary.
The Community Health Assessment (CHA) and Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) have been core pieces of the scope of work for the county’s health department and other health departments across Kansas and the United States for years. It is widely accepted as basic public health “blocking and tackling” – except in Sedgwick County.
The data collected and evaluated (CHA) serves as the bedrock for developing strategies, policies, public programs and campaigns (CHIP) that guide the actions to improve the health of all of us living in Sedgwick County. This critical information creates an environment in the larger community that supports the preventive care of chronic diseases delivered by physicians. A healthier population leads to a healthier workforce that in turn fosters a thriving economy.
In our community, representatives of dozens of nonprofit organizations serving the needs of residents are working together to comprehensively determine and define the health needs of our community. The vast majority of these organizations do not receive government dollars to support their missions.
Contrary to the commissioners’ assertion, the CHIP will be implemented by hundreds of individuals and scores of organizations across the community that recognize the critical importance of striving for a healthier community. Fortunately, the majority of the County Commission recognized the importance of the role of local government working in partnership with physicians and community organizations to first assess and then improve the health of Wichita and Sedgwick County.
Carolyn Gaughan is executive vice president of Kansas Academy of Family Physicians. Peggy Johnson is executive director of Wichita Medical Research and Education Foundation. Becky Tuttle is project manager of Health ICT.
This story was originally published August 31, 2016 at 5:04 AM with the headline "Data, planning key to public health."