Health Resource Capacity Assessment for Putnam, Connecticut, May 2001

Introduction

The Northeast District Department of Health (NDDH) serves twelve rural communities in Northeastern Connecticut with data collection, analysis and health planning activities, among other responsibilities. A comprehensive assessment of the health care needs of the district has not been conducted. To begin this task, NDDH commissioned a health care needs assessment for the town of Putnam.

Putnam is a tightly knit community with an array of social and health care needs. Putnam is one of the largest towns in the region, with the highest population density. The Connecticut Hospital Association performed a preliminary needs assessment for Putnam in 1993. Putnam is home to the region's largest health care institution, Day Kimball Hospital and its corporate parent, Health Network of New England, offering a comprehensive range of services to the community. Putnam's town government is stable, well organized and responsive to community needs. Both town and hospital leadership were very supportive of the project and their help was critical to its success.

The goals of the study were to:

1. assess the health care challenges and assets of Putnam,
2. draft realistic recommendations to address those needs,
3. strengthen a system that is responsive to Putnam's future needs and capacities, and
4. develop a process for adaptation by similar communities.

It is hoped that this community-driven process for needs assessment will serve as a model for similar rural communities. NDDH founded and coordinated the regional Community Health Coordinating Council, a group of key health, social service and provider organization leaders working collaboratively to improve the health of Northeastern Connecticut. This study will play a key part in the work of the Council.

METHODOLOGY

The study was conducted between February 27 and May 15, 2001.

A community workgroup was convened to guide the project. The group met five times, March 15 and 30 and April 30, 2001 at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam. Members were given a choice of either lunch or dinner meetings on each day. In addition to the meetings, there were frequent telephone conversations and individual meetings with members over the study period.

The membership represented a wide diversity of stakeholders in Putnam - state and local elected officials and government agencies, health care providers across fields, health care administrators, educators, child care providers, social service agency representatives and Putnam residents. Members are listed in the Appendix.

The workgroup guided the project, including assistance in recruiting focus groups, reviewing materials, identified individuals for interviews and conducting meetings. During the course of those meetings, enthusiasm for the project grew and the group intends to continue working after the study ends -- to implement the recommendations, enhance communication and resource sharing.

The study included five focus groups, listed below.

A survey of parents of Putnam 2nd through 5th graders was sent home with students; 22 were returned. A telephone survey of all seven licensed childcare providers in Putnam was conducted. To elicit public input for the project, Dr. Andrews was a guest on Marc Allard's call-in radio show on WINY, Putnam on March 26, 2001. Interviews were conducted with 32 key stakeholders. A survey was conducted of area providers accepting new patients, both by the investigator and Day Kimball Hospital. Data for town disease incidence and social indicators were collected from a variety of sources, listed in the Appendix.

Final study recommendations were the product of prioritization by the workgroup. Suggestions were collected from all sources, including focus groups, interviews, surveys, public input and research. The resulting collection was mailed to workgroup members in a survey format (see Appendix) and further discussed in two workgroup meetings. The final rankings were entirely defined by the community workgroup.