BLACK LUNG CLINIC PROGRAMS - Organization name and address: OH Muhlenberg, LLC; 440 Hopkinsville Street, Greenville, KY 42345 Entity type/type of facility: Community Hospital Website URL: http://www.owensborohealth.org/locations/muhlenberg-communityhospital/services/coal-miners-respiratory-clinic/ Proposed service region: Kentucky counties of Butler, Christian, Daviess, Henderson, Hopkins, Logan, McLean, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Todd, Union, and Webster Grant program funds requested: $1,098,727 The Coal Miners' Respiratory Clinic (CMRC) operates as a department of Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital. The program will provide screening and direct diagnostic and treatment to coal miners (active, inactive, disabled, and retired) in Service Area L in the Kentucky counties of Butler, Christian, Daviess, Henderson, Hopkins, Logan, McLean, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Todd, Union, and Webster. Located in Greenville in the center of the western Kentucky coal fields, CMRC has been a Black Lung Clinics Program grantee since 1975, providing timely, effective, coordinated, patient-centered care. The goals, objectives, and expected outcomes of the program are 1) to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with occupationally related CMDLD among miners through prevention, early detection, and intervention. Staff will use outreach to connect with miners and their families to provide education, screening, benefits counseling, options and resources, and coordinated care. These efforts will lead to immediate interventions, increased early detection, and decreased incidence of CMDLD; 2) enhance coal miners’ access to services by increased coordination among service providers through education, outreach, and case management. Outreach strategies will be used to locate and reach miners and provide individualized, coordinated services. Outcomes will include providing coal miners access to levels of services previously unavailable due to lack of education, knowledge, financial means, or fragmentation of communications. Miners’ appropriate health-seeking behaviors and utilization of resources/services will reflect unduplicated sustainable continuity of affordable care and services. Coordination of efforts will reduce costs to miners, their families, and health care system; 3) provide well-reasoned medical opinions and timely scheduling of DOL medical exams to facilitate the filing of Federal Black Lung Benefits claims. Expert, experienced staff and physicians will expedite claims processing via claims assistance and well-reasoned and documented medical opinions. CMRC staff will facilitate access to professional legal representatives accepting State Workers’ Compensation and Federal Black Lung Benefits cases. This will reduce the time from claim filing to DOL decision and result in more timely awards of permanent benefits; 4) strengthen the quality of care through the implementation of standards related to medical care, outreach and education, and compensation counseling. Outcomes will include uniformity of medical diagnosis and interventions according to evidence-based research improves outcomes and utilization of health care resources; and 5) identify and treat and/or provide referrals for secondary conditions discovered through routine screenings and DOL medical exams. Miners will be informed and understand the diagnosis, treatment options, and need for follow-up, monitoring, or ongoing care. Other health needs of miners include assessment and treatment of mental health disorders, cardiovascular disease, and drug and alcohol abuse. Miners will be able to make informed decisions about their treatment and ongoing care. Case management will ensure all needs are assessed, education and options are provided, and realistic goals are established while respecting and preserving the miners’ right to refuse or make independent decisions about their care.
