Indiana University Bloomington’s School of Public Health and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield are partnering to expand access to healthcare in rural communities in southern Indiana.
In the state, 71 of 92 counties have provider shortages; other barriers such as lack of transportation make it harder for those living in rural communities to access healthcare. Officials say this partnership aims to reduce those barriers.
Anthem is providing $100,000 to support two IU programs: Hoosier Health Check and Diabetes Prevention Mobile Pop-Ups. Darryl Lockett, director of whole health for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Indiana, said staff will provide hypertension checks in Greene and Brown Counties. Residents of Daviess and Dubois Counties can get early diabetes detection care.
“It's not just saying hey, this individual is sick,” Lockett said. “It's understanding why are they getting sick and what we can do to prevent that illness in the future or what we can do to envelop them in a community of care and support.”
Antonio Williams, Beinner Family Endowed Professor in the School of Public Health, is leading the partnership. He said amid a reduction in grant opportunities due to federal cuts, this partnership has provided another way to support their work in rural communities.
He said the partnership has already allowed them to serve around 300 people in early diabetes detection; they found that about half of them had pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes.
“We know that these diseases are silent killers,” Williams said. “A lot of people walk around in their day-to-day lives, and don't realize that they're dealing with hypertension or diabetes, and oftentimes, unfortunately, we don't find out until it's almost too late. And we know with these diseases, they could be reversible … but if we don't catch them, they could be very deadly, especially in rural areas where you don't have as much access to healthcare.”
The partnership will run for the next year. Lockett and Williams hope the work they’re doing through the partnership will lead to improved health outcomes in some rural communities.
“I hope it not only saves lives, but it educates people and allows them to know that someone cares, and they're not alone in this fight,” Williams said. “They may live in rural communities, but they're not alone.”
