Decatur County Memorial Hospital’s Chronic Care Management team recently received the Community Impact Award from the Indiana State Office of Rural Health. Annually, the Indiana Department of Health’s State Office of Rural Health awards trailblazers and leaders in rural healthcare for their outstanding efforts and achievements.
Chronic Care Management at Decatur County Memorial Hospital connects patients experiencing chronic conditions including, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and more, to a personal care team. In 2021, the Chronic Care Management team began communicating with these patients via text message outside their regularly scheduled appointments. The Chronic Care Management team’s initial outreach increased participation by more than fivefold. With the Chronic Care Management team’s continued efforts, they can now communicate with over 1,000 enrolled patients. Introducing this innovative service to the community allows patients to check in with their care team regularly and conveniently.
Darci Myers, Care Coordinator at DCMH, accepted the award during the presentation. Myers thanked the Indiana State Office of Rural Health for the award, stating, “Thank you for this recognition, and thank you to the Hospital for having the innovation to try something different to reach out to our patients. We have over 1,000 patients who are engaged in chronic care management and improving their chronic conditions just through texting and setting goals. We are working with them to meet those goals.”
Those experiencing chronic conditions who are interested in learning more about Chronic Care Management should contact 812-663-1255.