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PORTLAND, Maine

UNE to conduct community health survey for OneMaine Health Collaborative

Three of the largest health systems in Maine have joined forces to conduct a statewide study to better understand community health needs.  

Working together under a partnership called the OneMaine Health Collaborative, the partnership brings together Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (EMHS), MaineGeneral Health and MaineHealth, which together serve all of Maine's 16 counties.

UNE Selected

Earlier this year the OneMaine Health Collaborative announced a competitive request for proposals to find a consultant to conduct a comprehensive community health needs assessment.  University of New England's Center for Community and Public Health (CCPH) with a team including the Muskie School at the University of Southern Maine and Market Decisions, a local survey firm, were selected. The assessment is led by Ron Deprez, director of UNE's Center for Community and Public Health, and David Hartley of the Muskie School.

Deborah Deatrick, vice president of community health for MaineHealth, chaired the selection committee for the consultants and stated, "Health consultants at the University of New England and the Muskie School developed an excellent plan to include a full range of data collection, analysis and dissemination. We are fortunate that OneMaine's collaboration provides us with top-notch experts throughout Maine who are passionate about this project."

Health Needs Assessment

Jerry Whalen, vice president for business development at EMHS said, "The 2010 statewide health needs assessment will provide more information as health systems, community, and public health agencies work together to improve health status of all Maine residents."

Later this month, UNE will conduct a telephone survey to assess health status as well as perception and use of health care services with 6,400 randomly selected households throughout Maine.  If contacted, participation in this study is very important because each household will represent many others in the community.   All information provided will be kept strictly confidential.

Resources

The information gathered will enable public health officials, health care providers, community organizations, and others to effectively develop new or expanded resources, and plan health services for Maine.  Results of the study will also be used to help develop Maine's State Health Plan, published every two years.

This initiative is especially timely as the recently passed federal health reform legislation requires all non-profit hospitals to conduct community health needs assessments every three years for planning purposes.   The findings from the household survey, combined with existing public health and other data, will help healthcare providers throughout the state in fulfilling this new requirement.

Comparative county level findings will be available for public use in early 2011.   

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.