GMEC health care survey underway in Southwest Virginia

Six thousand households across Southwest Virginia will soon receive an important survey aimed at improving the health of the region’s residents.

Arriving in mailboxes this week, the survey is being conducted by the Southwest Virginia Graduate Medical Education Consortium (GMEC) located at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise. The survey area includes the entire GMEC service area of Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Grayson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise and Wythe counties and the cities of Bristol, Norton and Galax.

Another 1,500 surveys will be collected at local health centers and during the Remote Area Medical Health Expedition clinic, which will be held in Wise County in July.

The survey is a follow-up to a 2001 GMEC study, which indicated that the population of Southwest Virginia has poor access to health care services, especially for dental and vision care for all adults and medical care for adults 18-64 years. The new study is intended to further identify and describe the issues and problems related to access to health care services across Southwest Virginia.

“This data is vital in planning to meet the health care needs of our region,” said GMEC Executive Director Gary Crum. “Information obtained from the 2001 survey has been useful for leaders seeking additional health care funding. This new study will give us direct input on health care access issues from the people of our region. That data will help us identify what strides have been made and give us insight into planning for our future.”

Individuals who receive the random survey are encouraged to take 20 minutes, complete the 91 questions and return the document to GMEC by July 16.

“As was the case in 2001, the health care provider-to-population ratio in Southwest Virginia remains unsatisfactory,” Crum said. “Additionally, health indicators for the region’s population indicate continued premature death and high incidence of preventable health problems such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and low infant birth weight. By taking the time to complete the survey, area residents can help provide information that is critical to improving the region’s health care.”

Established by the Virginia General Assembly in 1998, GMEC’s mission is to improve access to high quality primary care for citizens of Southwest Virginia by forming educational partnerships between communities, local physicians and primary care residency programs in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky and West Virginia.

GMEC creates and supports medical residency preceptor sites in rural and underserved communities in Southwest Virginia. The non-profit consortium also facilitates on-the-job training for graduate medical students in the practices of primary care doctors who work in rural communities.

For more information about the survey, contact GMEC at 276-328-0289.

Posted June 6, 2007