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New Health Trust Report Takes a Close Look at Access to Health Care in Santa Clara County

Posted on: Wednesday, 22 October 2008, 12:00 CDT

CAMPBELL, Calif., Oct. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report on the ability of Santa Clara County residents to access both health care and insurance coverage shows that despite gains in recent years, Silicon Valley may be on the brink of shouting "Code Blue." The region's network of public and private health care resources is in a fragile state, and its weak spots have potential for affecting the lives of all residents in the region -- no matter their age, current health status, or insurance coverage.

The report was commissioned by The Health Trust, a charitable foundation whose vision sees Silicon Valley becoming the healthiest region in America. The data was drawn from a variety of statistical studies compiled by public agencies, academic institutions and nonprofit organizations. Its conclusions, according to Frederick J. Ferrer, CEO of The Health Trust, are "unnerving and serious."

"We like to assume that hospitals will be there when we need them, that doctors will be there when we need them, and that in the world center of technology innovation we have access to the best, most advanced medicine," he said. "But our report reveals that our community's health care system is facing significant challenges - especially the safety net we take for granted. This report is a call to action to take steps now to keep these vital services in place."

The health care safety net refers to those institutions and health care providers who deliver medical services to people in need, regardless of their ability to pay -- the uninsured, underinsured, those with Medi-Cal coverage, and other vulnerable individuals such as victims of catastrophic accidents and the tiny patients of neonatal intensive care units.

Key findings of the report include:

-- Silicon Valley's health care system has not kept up with population growth and demand. There is a shortage of physicians and other health care providers overall, and an alarming decrease in the number of physicians and health care providers who feel they can afford to treat individuals with Medi-Cal coverage (which provides reimbursement rates lower than the cost of care) and those who are uninsured.

-- Santa Clara County has one of the lowest ratios of hospital beds to population of any urban area in the nation, and is at risk of becoming even worse with the potential closing of one private hospital and the loss of another 272 beds if Santa Clara Valley Medical Center cannot fund rebuilding required under state law to meet seismic safety requirements.

-- Emergency room visits to hospitals in Santa Clara County increased 23.3 percent between 2003 and 2007. More than five hours every day of the year, at least one hospital in Santa Clara County has to divert ambulances away from its emergency room because it is at full capacity.

-- Despite recent gains, Santa Clara County still has an estimated 140,000 adults and children without health insurance coverage, and an additional 151,000 residents who are underinsured. Not only does the lack of adequate health insurance have financial consequences, research has shown that individuals without insurance typically don't have a "medical home" -- a regular doctor or clinic that provides most of their care. Such patients have worse health outcomes; many of those affected have chronic health conditions and are racial and ethnic minorities.

"The unsettled economy is only going to increase the number of people who will not have health insurance, or who will have inadequate health coverage," Ferrer said. "Premium costs are rising for employers and fewer of them are able to offer private coverage. Those who have insurance coverage are being offered plans with higher co-payments and bigger deductibles, so the out-of-pocket costs of health care are forcing more low-income individuals and families to choose between basic necessities, such as food and housing, and medical care."

The report substantiates the relevance of The Health Trust's Healthy Communities Initiative which is focused on expanding access to health care coverage as one way to reduce health disparities, the differences in the prevalence and burden of disease and other health conditions that affect specific population groups. While The Health Trust's overall focus is on prevention and making upstream changes to improve the health of everyone in Silicon Valley, the report, according to Ferrer, "reminds us that access for all is a fundamental building block we cannot ignore."

"Health issues and medical emergencies know no boundaries," said Ferrer. "Our health care situation in Santa Clara County should be of concern to everyone because you never know when you, a family member, friend, neighbor, co-worker, or someone you've never met but who is part of this community will need it. Our health care safety net is in jeopardy and this report helps us to understand how it has slowly and quietly degraded, and why it is at further risk in the future. Community leaders and residents need to understand these challenges and come together to take action to find solutions."

To view the entire report, visit The Health Trust website at http://www.healthtrust.org/.

The Health Trust

CONTACT: Nicole Kohleriter, Director of Strategic Communication of TheHealth Trust, +1-408-879-4112, Mobile, +1-415-385-2283

Source: PRNewswire

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