North Kansas City Hospital and Harrison County Community Hospital have received a $769,000 grant from The Patterson Family Foundation, a charitable organization extending the legacy of Neal and Jeanne Patterson and their support for rural communities. The gift will fund a two-year telehealth pilot program for NKCH to provide critical healthcare resources in rural northwest Missouri.
Harrison County residents now have access to specialty care services via a telehealth platform, including:
Diabetes education and management, including endocrinology services
Inpatient and outpatient mental health services
OB-GYN and maternal healthcare
“We are grateful for the support of The Patterson Family Foundation,” NKCH President and CEO Stephen Reintjes Sr., MD, said. “Through their generosity, we will promote health equity and improve access to care for underserved Harrison County residents. I want to personally thank The Patterson Family Foundation for their efforts to impact the lives of rural Missourians.”
Harrison County faces many public health challenges:
Diabetes is an epidemic in Missouri, affecting 11% of the state’s adult population. Diabetes prevalence for Harrison County residents age 65 and older is even higher at 23%.
According to a study from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the state ranked among the worst in the nation for maternal mortality with 25 women dying per 100,000 live births from 2017-2019. The study concluded 75% of the state’s pregnancy-related deaths were preventable. There is a nationwide shortage of maternal health care providers, and Harrison County does not currently offer OB-GYN care.
From 2003-2017, the suicide rate among rural Missourians grew by 78%. Visits to the Harrison County Community Hospital emergency department for thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts increased by 177%. The need for mental health services exceeds the current capacity in Harrison County.
“Rural Americans face many challenges with accessing health services,” HCCH CEO Christina Gillespie, MBA, said. “This telehealth pilot will address the difficulties of our rural community in accessing specialty physicians, specifically endocrinology and mental health services. HCCH is grateful to The Patterson Family Foundation for their support of our community.”
The Patterson Family Foundation is a family-led foundation extending the legacy of Neal and Jeanne Patterson to improve rural communities through healthcare, education, economic opportunity, and beyond.
Harrison County Community Hospital is a 19-bed critical access hospital offering a range of services including: inpatient acute care, outpatient services, and primary care medical clinics in Bethany and Eagleville.
