Chicago Health Outreach, Inc. (CHO) is a community organization dedicated to meeting the diverse and challenging health care needs of Chicago's disenfranchised populations through the provision of Primary Health Care, Mental Health Services, Dental Care, Case Management, and interpreting services. Access to high-speed Internet connections is an urgent necessity for CHO to continue to respond appropriately and effectively to the unique needs of the homeless immigrants and refugees, people with HIV, and low-income uninsured families. Clinicians and staff will use the Internet to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of service provision through the installation of high-speed connections in CHO's main building at 4750 North Sheridan, education in locating and applying evidence-based online health resources, and evaluation of implementation efforts. The project?s specific aims are to: 1) Provide high-speed Internet connections to all CHO programs and administrative offices housed in the 4750 North Sheridan building; 2) Establish secure electronic mail services and World Wide Web access for all CHO staff housed in the 4750 North Sheridan building; 3) Provide CHO clinicians and support staff with training in the location and application of Internet-based health resources, including Pub Med, Medline, the Na6tional Guideline Clearinghouse, and ClinicalTrials.gov; 4) Facilitate the integration of sound evidence from clinical guideline databases and health research journals into clinical practice and quality improvement efforts, and 5) Promote the effective and efficient use of Internet connections for staff through technical support and ongoing evaluation mechanisms.
