The mission of the Southwest Wisconsin Health Information Access Project is to improve access to health information resources for the health care agencies/providers, educational institutions, and people in the rural communities of southwestern Wisconsin, via appropriate technology and education. In order to improve patient/consumer health information access, this project focuses on the information needs of rural, migrant, and Native American health care consumers in this region. It also addresses the ability of their health providers to access these resources and teach consumers. This project will also create a Wisconsin AHEC Health Information Promotion (HIP) team to provide services and foster collaboration with other outreach projects, including those based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Northern Wisconsin Area Health Education Center. Project goals are threefold: Health care consumers in underserved rural and Native American communities in southwestern Wisconsin will access and use patient/consumer health information resources. Health care providers at partner sites will access quality Internet based resources and current published health information at the time of need. Wisconsin AHEC library/information technology projects will demonstrate a coordinated statewide approach to meeting the needs of target populations, including preceptors, health professionals and students in underserved communities, local health departments, and culturally diverse health care consumers. The project will focus on assuring appropriate Internet access for both consumers and health professionals in partner communities, providing statewide access to quality-filtered web resources, and delivering extensive user education and consumer health information advocacy services in the target region. This regional educational programming will be developed in collaboration with other Wisconsin outreach initiatives.
