By Rose S. Prinzi
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, “One-fourth of America’s population lives in rural areas. …rural residents have higher poverty rates, a larger percentage of elderly, have a tendency to be poorer in health, have fewer doctors, hospitals and other health resources, and face more difficulty getting to health services.”
With healthcare reform being the most talked-about issue in the country right now, and with the concern of our rural healthcare state, it only seems fitting that we introduce you to a new fund created by the Chautauqua County Health Network (CCHN) at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.
The Stan Lundine Health Care Professional Workforce Fund, named after CCHN’s first Executive Director, was established as a permanent endowment that is to be used for any number of strategies to advance, recruit and retain healthcare professionals in Chautauqua County. These strategies include, but are not limited to, such approaches as: Paid internships, scholarships, loan repayment, salary guarantees, signing bonuses, moving or travel expenses to encourage health professionals to locate in our area.
CCHN developed this fund to assist the Chautauqua Region in building local professional medical staff. Comprised of the four hospitals in Chautauqua County, their governing boards and medical staff, CCHN is designed to address the pressing medical issues our rural area faces today and in the future. The Health Workforce Advisory Committee of CCHN identifies priority projects based on current and expected healthcare workforce shortages in the County. This group includes local physician offices, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, clinics, and community-based organizations that are experiencing a variety of medical labor shortages. Current priorities include physician recruitment and retention and developing a comprehensive pipeline strategy for “growing our own.” In order to address physician recruitment needs, as well as those strategies mentioned above, CCHN has established the Stan Lundine Healthcare Professional Workforce Fund to financially assist their efforts.
Stan served as the CCHN Executive Director from 1995 through 2007. From 1987 through 1994, Stan was Lieutenant Governor of New York State. Prior to holding this position, he was elected six times to the United States House of Representatives where he served from 1976 until 1987. He was Mayor of Jamestown from 1970 through 1976.
Stan has long been an advocate for regionalization. He was a cosponsor of two conferences on this subject held at Chautauqua Institution in 1997 and 1998 and was instrumental in both state and local regional development.
This Designated Fund is a tribute to Stan and his dedication to our area. If you are interested in learning more about this fund or about the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, call 661-3390 or go to our website at www.crcfonline.org.