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New User-Friendly Worcester County Network of Care for Healthy Communities Web Site Launched

November 1, 2011
WGMD Radio

SNOW HILL, Md. – Today the Worcester County Health Department launched an innovative, Web portal to enhance health decision-making by providing community stakeholders, families and individuals with key local health data and resources in an easy-to-read format.

The Worcester County Network of Care for Healthy Communities, http://WorcesterHealth.networkofcare.org, provides a directory of all health services, a leading health library and encyclopedia, social networking, legislative tools, nationwide news, personal health records, and much more.

“The new Network of Care site gives the public easy access to health data, resources and tools,” said Health Officer Debbie Goeller. “Stakeholders and members of our community can use the site to view promising practices from around the nation, read health news and articles, or look up community services.”

The site integrates local health data into more than 100 local health and quality-of-life indicators specific to Worcester County. For example, for a topic such as obesity, users can view current county values, trending and comparison to national targets, ranking compared to other areas in the state, and related GIS maps.

“The data available will also assist the health department and other agencies as we apply for grants and develop programs to improve the health of Worcester County residents,” Goeller said.

Further content is also available, including news, reports, services, and legislation, all specifically related to the topic of concern. The system also automatically brings a vetted library of best practices from around the nation. This best practices library describes how different communities with the same problem have worked toward positive change.

Service providers can share public-health challenges and ideas by embracing the Network of Care’s communication tools, such as the Social Network of Care and community calendars.

Service providers can even build their own free websites in the For Providers section.

The Network of Care for Healthy Communities is a partnership between the National Association of Counties; the National Association of City and County Health Officials, and Trilogy Integrated Resources, in collaboration with the Healthy Communities Institute.

To increase accessibility and accommodate the Network of Care’s users, the site’s innovative technology provides near-universal access, regardless of literacy or income level, to Web-based services through a text-only version of the site and other adaptive technologies. The site is fully ADA-compliant. The Network of Care also is available in multiple languages.

For more information about the new Network of Care resource, please contact the Worcester County Health Department at 410-632-1100 ext. 1038.