The Nebraska Center for Rural Health Research

The Nebraska Rural Health Works Project is made possible with the financial support of the Nebraska Office of Rural Health and through additional personnel and resources provided by the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

The products of Nebraska Rural Health Works are brief reports designed to inform opinion leaders (from general business, health care, and government) in rural communities about the contribution health care makes to the county economy, both directly and indirectly. We use IMPLAN software, which uses an economic input-output model, to predict changes in overall economic activity as a result of change in the health care sector.

In addition to the analysis of the economic impact of the health sector on a specific county, other information is reported such as:

• demographics

• socio-economic indicators

• health status indicators

• health care professionals

• facility bed capacity.

County Health Economic Profiles can be prepared upon request.

At this time, we only perform analysis at the county level. Using IMPLAN software, we analyze county data using an economic input-output model. To improve the accuracy of the dataset in order to better calculate health sector impact, we also use information from the U.S. Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns 2004 and the American Hospital Association Annual Survey Database: Fiscal Year 2006. However, when requesting a report, it is helpful if you inform us of any:

• unique circumstances or characteristics of the economic status of the county

• features of health care utilization or the local health care market, including other hospitals in the county but not in the requesting county

• any political factors we should be aware of

• how you or your county plan to use the profile.

Please visit our Contact Information page to request a county profile.

Please visit our County Profile Reports page to access county health economic profiles for Nebraska counties.