Report on New Leadership and Strategic Direction for Tama County Public Health and Home Care

Introduction and Appointment of New Leadership

Effective July 1, Stacy Koeppen has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the Tama County Public Health and Home Care department. Ms. Koeppen possesses extensive experience in home health care and nursing, holding a master’s degree in health care administration. Her professional background includes leadership roles in rural and Critical Access Hospital settings, making her well-suited to address the specific healthcare needs of smaller communities. Her appointment marks a new strategic chapter for the agency, aimed at stabilizing and expanding essential health services within the county.

Strategic Vision and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The new leadership’s primary objective is to enhance local access to healthcare services, a mission that directly aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The strategy prioritizes bringing necessary medical services to residents within Tama County, which currently lacks a hospital. This approach is fundamental to achieving SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

Key Strategic Pillars

• Achieving Universal Health Coverage (SDG Target 3.8): By providing services locally through mobile units and clinics, the department aims to ensure all residents have access to quality essential health-care services, reducing the need for travel and associated burdens.
• Strengthening the Health Workforce (SDG Target 3.c): A core goal is to reinforce the department’s capacity, starting with the planned addition of a public health nurse to manage referrals and eventually expanding staff as services grow.
• Fostering Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17): The strategy relies on building robust collaborations with regional hospitals, state agencies, and other healthcare providers to deliver comprehensive care to the community.

Planned Initiatives and Program Development

Preventative Health and Non-Communicable Disease Management

A significant focus will be placed on preventative care to improve long-term community health outcomes, directly addressing SDG Target 3.4, which seeks to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases.

1. Mobile Mammography Services: The department is exploring a partnership to bring a mobile mammogram unit to the county, providing critical breast cancer screening access for residents.
2. Vaccination Programs: Collaboration with the state will be pursued to ensure a consistent and accessible supply of vaccines for the community.

Public Health Education and Risk Reduction

In alignment with SDG Target 3.d (strengthening capacity for early warning and risk reduction), the department will launch targeted educational programs.

• Animal Bite Prevention Program: In response to a high number of animal bites in the county, an educational initiative will be created to inform the public on prevention and safety measures.

Departmental Capacity and Community Engagement

Current Staffing and Future Growth

The department is currently staffed by four full-time nurses, one part-time nurse, an Environmental Health Officer, three office employees, and four home health aides. Leadership has identified the need to add a public health nurse to streamline operations and free up clinical staff to focus on direct patient care. This focus on building a resilient health workforce is crucial for sustaining the delivery of quality care and supports SDG 3.c.

Outreach and Partnerships

Community engagement is central to the department’s strategy. The agency will utilize its mobile RV at public events, such as the Tama County Fair, to increase visibility and accessibility. This approach, combined with a focus on delivering high-quality care to build trust via word-of-mouth, is designed to ensure community health remains the top priority. These collaborative efforts with surrounding hospitals and organizations exemplify SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, and strengthen rural-urban linkages in support of SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The entire article is centered on the Tama County Public Health and Home Care department, its new leadership, and its mission. The core focus is on providing healthcare services, preventing diseases, and promoting health within the community, which is the central theme of SDG 3.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The article specifically highlights the challenges of a rural county that “does not have a hospital within its boundaries.” The efforts to bring essential services like mobile mammography units to the residents directly address the goal of making communities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable by ensuring access to basic services.
3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The new director, Stacy Koeppen, explicitly states her strategy involves collaboration. She “plans to work with all of them (several hospitals)” and also “work with the state on assistance with vaccines.” This demonstrates a clear commitment to forming partnerships to achieve public health objectives, which is the essence of SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
   • This target is addressed through the department’s goal of “providing services that residents might otherwise have to go elsewhere to receive.” The plan to work with the state for assistance with vaccines and the general mission of a public health department in a county without a hospital directly align with increasing access to essential healthcare.
2. Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
   • The specific initiative to “get a mobile mammogram unit in… for Breast Cancer Awareness Month” is a direct action aimed at the prevention and early detection of a non-communicable disease (cancer), which contributes to reducing premature mortality.
3. Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.
   • The plan to “create a program to just educate the public on signs to watch for” regarding animal bites is a preventative measure against communicable diseases like rabies. While not an epidemic, this proactive educational approach to disease prevention fits within the scope of this target.
4. Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.
   • The article’s focus on the challenges of a rural county and the need to bring in services via “mobile units or occasional clinics” directly relates to ensuring access to basic services (in this case, healthcare) for all residents, regardless of their proximity to a major city or hospital.
5. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
   • This is identified in the director’s plan to collaborate with multiple external entities. The article states, “Koeppen plans to work with all of them (hospitals) to ensure those services are available” and also “work with the state on assistance with vaccines,” which are clear examples of building public-public partnerships to enhance service delivery.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator for Target 3.8 (and 3.c.1 Health worker density): Number and density of healthcare staff.
   • The article provides a specific count of the current staff: “four full-time nurses, one part-time as needed nurse… three office employees and four home health aides.” The director’s desire to “add a public health nurse” and more staff “as we grow” implies that staff numbers are a key indicator of the department’s capacity to provide services.
2. Indicator for Target 3.4: Availability of screening services for non-communicable diseases.
   • The plan to bring in a “mobile mammogram unit” serves as a direct, measurable indicator of progress. Success can be measured by whether the unit is secured and the number of residents who use the service.
3. Indicator for Target 3.3: Incidence of preventable health issues and implementation of educational programs.
   • The article notes that “Tama County has a lot of dog and animal bites,” which is an existing baseline indicator. The creation of an educational program to prevent these bites is a measurable action, and a future reduction in the number of bites would indicate the program’s success.
4. Indicator for Target 17.17: Number of active partnerships with other health organizations.
   • Progress can be measured by the formal establishment of working agreements with the “several hospitals” and “the state” as mentioned by the director. The number and effectiveness of these collaborations would be a key performance indicator.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: tamatoledonews.com