A new online resource securely connects people in need in rural central Utah with community-based resources that can be difficult to navigate. Intermountain and other community-based organizations have teamed up to launch the Connect Us Network in Sevier County, Utah. It provides a central point of contact where healthcare providers, social service providers, and individuals can securely access and refer people to needed services while monitoring progress and measuring outcomes.
Technology company Unite Us created the tool behind the Connect Us Network. The platform allows real-time communication and record keeping across organizations. It also provides an electronic record of services and outcomes, which reduces duplication and identifies resource needs and gaps.
The Connect Us Network was launched in Weber and Washington counties in 2019 and in Utah County in 2020. As it expands into rural Sevier County, the 300-plus organizations throughout the state now using the platform will be linked to people in need in Sevier and surrounding counties. This provides a database of services both locally and statewide.
“Within our rural community, we’ve developed great relationships and know who to call for help,” says Brent Schmidt, Sevier Valley Hospital administrator. “The advantage of using a tool like Connect Us is we can pool our data about what needs people are experiencing, and where we’re winning. It gives us more leverage to work smarter on really tough issues in a more person-centered and effective way.”
The licenses community organizations need to use the tool are made possible by a charitable contribution from Intermountain. Intermountain is also helping fund the Connect Us Coordination Center, which is run by Utah 2-1-1 and United Way of Utah and supports organizations trying to connect people to the right resource.
“We believe this investment creates a more patient-centered and data-driven approach to collaborating with other dedicated organizations in our community,” Brent says. “The majority of what impacts our health happens outside our hospital walls, which is why we see it as mission critical to connect our patients with resources that support every aspect of their health, from food to transportation.”
“This move into Sevier County is an expansion of the work Intermountain is doing to address social determinants of health that started with the Alliance for the Determinants of Health in 2018,” says Lisa Nichols, assistant vice president of Community Health. “This is the first rural hospital area to adopt the model and technology, and the next step in our efforts to better help connect all the people we serve with the resources they need.”
Learn more about Connect Us at connectusalliance.org.