Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 17 S E P T E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 7 F O C U S H E A LT H C A R E I T S O LU T I O N S TO P O W E R YO U R G R O W T H I T S N E . C O M • 8 8 8 - 2 6 4 - 7 8 5 2 W H E N AC C E S S TO PAT I E N T DATA C A N B E A M AT T E R O F L I F E O R D E AT H , T R U S T T H E E X P E R I E N C E O F I T S . Practicing sound medicine depends more than ever on sound systems management. And ITS has over 25 years of experience assisting healthcare organizations with design, implementation, performance-tuning and management of IT systems. We can handle everything from hardware infrastructure design and deployment through staff augmentation, specific application support and technical assistance 24/7/365...because medical professionals don't just work 9-5. T H E B E T T E R YO U R I T S Y S T E M S , T H E B E T T E R H E R PAT I E N T C A R E . Access to health care is still guided by patient resources Findings from "Access to Health Care Services for Adults in Maine," October 2016 ¡ Mainers from racial or ethnic minorities have poorer health care access ¡ Individuals with lower education have poorer health care access ¡ Younger adults are more likely to lack a usual source of care and to report cost problems than those at older ages ¡ Lower incomes are associated with lower health care access: Compared to those in households earning $50,000 per year or more, individuals with household incomes below $25,000 are more than twice as likely to lack a regular provider (17.3% versus 7.5% for those with higher incomes). Individuals at lower ends of the income scale are also much more likely to go without health care services. S O U R C E : Maine Health Access Foundation and the University of Southern Maine M aine's death rate is outpacing its birth rate. Even as some of Maine's legacy industries see a decline, the state's health care industry continues to grow — despite growing pains. Health care employment is expected to grow 9.4% between 2014 and 2024. At the same time, as reported elsewhere in this issue, hospitals struggle to nd doctors, registered nurses and quali ed workers. Hospitals and the companies that own them are looking at ways to cut expenses, at times making the unpopular decision to cut key services in rural areas. S TA R T I N G O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » M >$25,000 $25,000 – $49,000 $50,000+ 17.1% 13.6% 7.5% 2014 2024 3.4% 3.7% (projected) PERCENT OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT ADULTS WITHOUT A REGULAR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, BY INCOME S O U R C E : 2012–14 Maine Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System annual survey What health care employment will look like in 2024 While many of Maine's traditional industries are expected to see a decline in workforce by 2024 — including farming, fishing and forestry — the greatest gain in employment is expected to be in the health care industry. S O U R C E : Maine Workforce Outlook AVERAGE ANNUAL OPENINGS Growth 214 Replacement 485 Total: 699 INCREASE: 9.4% (2,119 jobs) HEALTH CARE SUPPORT AVERAGE EMPLOYMENT 2024 24,622 (projected) 2014 22,503

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