Rural Health Context: Week of May 30th

How does the federal government define rural health?

"Territory, population, and housing units not classified asurban constitute 'rural'." In addition, according to the Census Bureau, urban is defined as "comprising all territory, population, and housing units inurbanized areas and in places of 2,500 or more persons outsideurbanized areas." These definitions differ slightly from my personal definitions. While I was aware that the term "rural" meant any place that was not "urban", I did not know the actual statistics that make urban what it is and rural what it is.

Role of HIM, Public Health Nursing, and other disciplines

The job of an HIM professional is to maintain health care records. This includes vital records and health statistics. Public Health Nursing is a unique discipline that seeks to promote and protect the health of populations using knowledge from nursing, social and public health sciences. They must follow theses principles:

-The client or “unit of care” is the population.
-The primary obligation is to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people or the population as a whole.
-The processes used by public health nurses including working with the client(s) as an equal partner.
-Primary prevention is the priority in selecting appropriate activities.
-The focus is on selecting strategies that create healthy environmental, social and economic conditions in which populations may thrive.
-There is an obligation to actively identify and reach out to all who might benefit from a specific activity or service.
- Optimal use of available resources to assure the best overall improvement in the health of the populations is a key element of the practice.
-Collaboration with a variety of other professions, populations, organizations and other stakeholder groups is the most effective way to promote and protect the health of the people.

Mission Statement of Public Health Care Systems in NC:

A wide range of NC public health programs and services on both state and local levels work together to protect and improve the health of the people who live and work in NC state agencies.

Summary of House Bill 718: Suicide Prevention Program

The bill intends to provide the appropriate funding to a program that promotes the awareness of youth suicide.

Section 1: This section lays the guidelines for an advisory committee for the program.
Section 2: This section summarizes the funds/budgeting for the program.
Section 3: This act becomes effective July 1, 2007.

Summary of House Bill 1088: Cancer Prevention and Treatment act 2007

This act intends to provide appropriate funding for the treatment and prevention of cancer.

Section 1: The section merely establishes the act's title as the Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act of 2007.
Section 2: This section defines how much money will be used toward the N.C. tobacco Quit line
Section 3: This section defines how much money will be used for uninsured cancer patients who do not qualify for other publicly funded health coverage.
Section 4: This section defines what funds will be allocated for the NC Brest Cancer and Cervical Cancer Program.
Section 5: This section defines how much money will be used as a State match to draw down funds from the Legacy Foundatin for public education programs aimed at cancer prevention and smoking cessation.
Section 6: This section states that the employer shall meet the standards for related health coverage
Section 7: Sections 1-4 of the act become effective July 1, 2007. The remaind3er of the act is effective when it becomes law.


Summary of House Bill 976: Public Vehicular Areas Defined

This acts claifies the definition of public vehicular area in motor vehicular law. It also gives emergency vehicles access to gated comunities.

Section 1: This section simply defines related definitions and phrases.
Section 2: Part 10 of Article 3 of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 20‑158.3. Emergency entry to controlled access roads.
Any person, association, or other legal entity having responsibility for a controlled access system on a road that is a public vehicular area shall provide a means of immediate access to all emergency service vehicles, which shall include law enforcement, fire, rescue, ambulance, and first responder vehicles."
Section 3: The act becomes effective December 1, 2007