Project REACH (Regional Electronic Access = Changing Health care) proposes the establishment of an electronic health care information and education network which will link the offices of the Blue Ridge Area Health Education Center (AHEC), Floyd Medical Center Medical Library, Hamilton Medical Center Medical Library, Kennesaw State University Library, and ten health care facilities including four community hospitals, three community health centers, one mental health center, two public health departments, and one family practice center. The proposal responds to the identified needs for resources, information access and training of rural and urban health care professionals and institutions in 20 counties in Northwest Georgia (an area slightly larger than the state of Connecticut and the same size as the island of Hawaii.), of which 18 have been designated as HPSA (Health Professional Shortage Areas) and 16 as MUA (Medically Underserved Areas). This mountainous area attracts a rapidly aging retirement community with the unique problems and attendant health care needs of the elderly. Growing with this population is the demand for geriatrics and gerontology information among health care professionals. Project REACH has been designed with three broad objectives: 1) to provide access to health care information resources to health care facilities that have limited or no library services; 2) to improve access and communication among network members with supportive electronic resources providing linkage to information technology and, 3) to provide education to health care professionals on new information technologies.
The specific aims of this collaborative project are: 1) to introduce or add computer equipment at fourteen sites; 2) to hire an Outreach Librarian to help provide services, training and promotion; 3) to provide Internet connectivity and access to electronic resources; 4) to develop electronic resources to support communication and provide linkage to information technology; 5) to provide training opportunities on electronic access, information retrieval and emerging technologies to health care professionals; and 6) to support the recruitment and retention efforts of hospitals and clinics within the Blue Ridge AHEC service area.
