Crook County Community Health Improvement Partnership (CHIP) - Involving Residents to Create a Healthier Community
Through a shared commitment, Pioneer Memorial Hospital and OHSU’s Oregon Office of Rural Health and Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network are sponsoring a health improvement project. The program is designed to bring together Crook County residents and healthcare providers to find ways to improve the health of residents and to address their health care needs.
CHIP At Work
The Community Health Improvement Partnership is used in more than 100 rural communities nationwide. It relies on a partnership among a broad community base of members to identify local health care issues and needs, giving residents a voice in what they want in health care services. The partnership also provides a way to create programs and projects to respond to those needs.
In Prineville CHIP Coordinator Sharon Vail acts as liaison between members of the community and healthcare providers, and is working to develop partnership members.
Goals of the Partnership
The Partnership has six interrelated goals:
- Improve the health status of the Crook County CHIP area residents.
- Involve as many people as possible in the decision-making process.
- Expand awareness of the health system’s resources and of issues facing health care delivery.
- Develop local leadership through training and experience in decision-making.
- Support the creation of projects and programs to meet identified community needs.
- Educate residents about the role health care plays in economic development.
Become a CHIP Partner
Everyone in our community has something to contribute to the discussion of local health care. You and your organization can be part of the Community Health Improvement Partnership!
If you would like to become involved or need more information regarding the CHIP program in Crook County, contact coordinator Sharon Vail at 541-447-6254, ext. 380, or e-mail Sharon at svail@cascadehealthcare.org .
If you would like more information on the CHIP process, please contact Troy Soenen, at the Oregon Office of Rural Health, 503-494-4450.