Elkhorn Logan Valley Health Department launches website

Contact:

Gina Uhing

Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department

402-529-2233

Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department, as a member of the Nebraska Association of Local Health Directors, has launched a new interactive website that will provide tools for the public, the media, health care providers and policymakers in making solid decisions regarding health.

Created as a joint endeavor by several national agencies, the Network of Care for Public Health and Wellness is designed to provide the most up-to-date health information in one easy-to-use website.  The website includes county level statistics about key health indicators, wellness education, information about health issues and medical care, news, and links to local and national support groups.  It also provides information about state and federal legislative bills on various health topics, allowing the public to easily contact their representatives about issues of concern.

“An individual or organization can, for instance, look up an indicator, such as lung cancer and find out if their county statistics for this disease are better or worse than those in other areas of the state or nation.  If they find there is concern about their county’s incidence of lung cancer, they can then look up risk factors, such as smoking rates and air quality, for their county on the same site.  Having all of the information can help healthcare organizations, policymakers and others to develop priorities and direct resources to effectively impact the top health concerns for their communities”, says Gina Uhing.

Continuing to use lung cancer as an example, individuals who may have the disease can also easily research the latest treatment options, find news releases and articles by trusted experts on the topic, locate a support group, and establish and manage their own online personal health record.

This is just one example of how the Network of Care can be utilized.  Hospitals, now required by the IRS to complete community needs assessments, will find the information valuable to their endeavors.

“The Network of Care will provide us with a ready source – a complete and current site where we can go, and where others in the community can go – to get current statistics and numbers to guide their work,” said Teresa Anderson, President of the Nebraska Association of Local Health Directors. “It will allow us to display local, state and nationally acquired data in an easily understood and immediately accessible manner”.