(May 2021) – Join Us in Urging Kansans to 'Catch Up On Care'
Written by Chad Austin, president and CEO, KHA
Originally published in the April 25 issue of KHA's Current Report weekly newsletter.
It is likely not a surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic caused fewer Kansans to seek necessary health care services in 2020 than in 2019 – even after hospitals safely reopened in the second half of the year. Upon direction from the Kansas Hospital Association Board of Directors, we looked at statewide inpatient and emergency department data for Kansas hospitals and saw a decline in patient volume in 2020. The data revealed reductions in several areas, including annual wellness exams and regular health screenings, specialized surgery, cardiac care, behavioral health and more.
To reverse the trend and minimize its negative effects on individual and population health in Kansas, KHA is launching a new, statewide Catch Up On Care campaign. The public awareness campaign is complete with ads for consumers and tools for our members to promote the message in their own local communities.
KHA will launch this statewide public awareness campaign on April 26. The objective is to share information on the care missed in 2020 and encourage Kansans to revisit their health care needs and reclaim their health, as there was a noticeable drop in some preventative care in 2020. For example, statewide data showed that nearly 25,000 Kansans delayed cancer screenings last year.
As part of this public awareness campaign, KHA has created a member toolkit with customizable resources for you to use in your community. It includes the following resources for your use:
KHA will be sharing these messages statewide through May and we encourage your hospital to join this campaign to educate your community on the care they missed and to encourage them to Catch Up on Care.
We appreciate your involvement with this initiative. If there are any other resources you need for this public relations campaign, please let us know. Thanks!
--Chad Austin