April 2006
This publication was funded by the Health Resources
and Services Administration's Office of Rural Health Policy with
the Frontier Education Center under
Contract Number HHSH250200436014C.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
DEFINITION
OF FRONTIER
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- INTRODUCTION
- Key Findings from the 2003 Survey of
State Offices of Rural Health
- Objectives and Methods
- CASE STUDIES
Table 1: Comparison of Case Study Counties
CASE 1: Skagway, Alaska
Map: Skagway, Alaska and environs
Figure 1: Seasonal variation in Skagway employment
CASE 2: Quartzsite,
Arizona
Map: Quartzsite, AZ and environs
Table 2: Recommendations to improve health services in Quartzsite
CASE 3: Lake City/Hinsdale
County, Colorado
Map: Hinsdale County, Colorado and environs
- DISCUSSION
- CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
APPENDIX A: List of Contacts
APPENDIX B: Seasonal Populations Question Guide
APPENDIX C: Definitions for County Types from
Table 1
DEFINITION OF FRONTIER
All references to "frontier" use the
Consensus
Definition of the Frontier Education Center unless otherwise
indicated. Counties and/or frontier areas so defined have been
developed with the involvement of all of the relevant State Offices
of Rural Health (100 percent response rate). This definition has
not been adopted by any Federal programs but has been adopted
as policy by the Western
Governors' Association and the National Rural Health Association.
The Consensus Definition weights three elements - population density,
distance in miles and travel time in minutes - which together,
generally describe the geographic isolation of frontier communities
from market and/or service centers. The Center understands that
various programs will establish their own programmatic definitions
and eligibility criteria.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report presents the findings from three
case studies of frontier communities with seasonal population
variations. The study builds on the results of a 2003 survey of
State Offices of Rural Health and seeks to document the experience
of a small number of communities with seasonal populations in
meeting the health care needs of both the permanent local population
as well as the seasonal residents and visitors. Three communities
located in frontier counties were selected for case studies: Skagway,
Alaska; Quartzsite, Arizona; and Lake City/Hinsdale County, Colorado.
Case studies were developed using a variety
of data sources, with key informant interviews providing the primary
data. The case studies sought to answer two broad questions: How
is the health care infrastructure managed to accommodate variations
in need resulting from seasonal population fluctuations? And,
how does managing the infrastructure for seasonal populations
affect the care of the permanent local population?
As found in the earlier study, reliable data
on seasonal populations were not available; data sources provided
fragmented, incomplete, and often contested estimates of populations
throughout the year. Definitional problems contributed to difficulties
in estimating seasonal populations. "Seasonal populations"
could include legal residents as well as visitors, temporary workers,
employers, and second homeowners; housing in non-permanent structures
(e.g. RV trailers) complicates counting methodologies.
In all three communities, health services are
very limited. Only one community had a resident year-round physician,
and only for the past 6 months. None have a pharmacy. Year-round
and seasonal residents alike are accustomed to seeking health
(and other) services elsewhere, paying high costs for transportation
and lodging in addition to medical care, often without insurance.
Two of the three communities have developed financial mechanisms
to support the public provision of health services; the third
is in the discovery process, examining options for doing the same.
Commonalities among the case study
communities
- Failure of markets to provide public services.
In frontier communities, the small populations, large land areas,
and distance from larger markets result in a scale of economy
that cannot support the private provision of services. Public
response is necessary to fill gaps in service that may be covered
by private providers in urban areas.
- Volunteerism. Volunteerism is a common
feature of these communities, among both year-round and seasonal
residents. Volunteerism is both a desired cultural feature and
a core piece of community identity, but also a response to market
failure. Year-round residents often wear many hats; community
roles may change throughout the year. Increases in cost of living
due to lack of affordable housing, and increasing requirements
for certifying emergency responders may place an intolerable
strain on the volunteers and threaten this important role in
small communities.
- Dominance of public lands. All three
communities are surrounded by a high proportion of public lands,
with a number of consequences. The public lands draw the seasonal
populations; differences in agency and management of the lands
have an impact on the relative contribution of seasonal populations
to the local government. Impacts range from a housing crisis
(Skagway) to the development of an alternative economy (Quartzsite).
- Desire to develop a year-round economy.
A common development objective was to broaden the year-round
economic activity, and lessen the seasonal swings. Increasing
the range of locally available health services is considered
an important factor in attaining this goal.
Differences between communities
- Community differences. Communities
vary in geography, climate and amenities, socioeconomic and
demographic characteristics, and health profiles. Importantly,
they also vary in the context of local governance and autonomy
within governmental hierarchies. Not all communities have the
same set of policy options available when attempting to locally
improve health services. ERS County Typologies were useful in
identifying some differences; local government structures and
relations with other governmental and non-governmental entities
at multiple scales are important to understanding the local
context.
- Differences between seasonal populations.
Seasonal populations vary by time of year, average age, activities,
participation in the local community, and healthcare needs.
They also vary by economic status and ability to contribute
to the local economy. Not all seasonal visitors are wealthy
or retired, not all have health insurance. One community could
be characterized as catering to high-end luxury tourism, another
by lower-end bargain hunting retirees. This influences the potential
to generate revenue for public services.
Impact of seasonal populations on health
service infrastructure
In all three cases, the seasonal population
was considered to be similar to the permanent population in ethnic,
sociodemographic, and health characteristics. The increase in
population during high season represented increased demands on
the health care system, but was characterized simply as "more
of the same."
Emergency services. The greatest impact
of seasonal populations is on emergency services and related infrastructure.
The high-risk activities of the seasonal population test the local
capacity for emergency response; this benefits the locals who
likewise participate in high-risk activities. All three communities
had well-established emergency response systems and medical evaluation
plans. However, capacity could be quickly overwhelmed, and unsafe
travel conditions resulting from bad weather could jeopardize
these plans.
Need to reduce unnecessary transport.
All three communities wish to increase the capacity to treat accidents
and emergencies locally. The ability to treat less serious injuries
locally would reduce the need for costly transport, both in terms
of money and in volunteer time. Improved diagnostic capabilities
would also reduce unnecessary transport. Transportation times
could be lengthy and involve multiple transfers. And, these services
could be quickly overwhelmed in the case of multiple casualties.
They were further subject to frequent limitations imposed by weather
conditions that can make both road and air travel unsafe. Further,
the high costs of air evacuation (up to $20,000 per flight) accrue
to individuals, health systems, and insurance companies. For the
uninsured individual, the cost of a single accident was catastrophic.
Managing seasonal variations in supply
and demand. One community-based strategy to assist residents
in obtaining healthcare was to offer alternative work schedules
(e.g. a four-day work week) to accommodate the need to travel
long distances. Strategies employed by health services providers
in these communities to manage seasonal fluctuations included:
- Scheduling staff vacations in the off-season
- Granting extended leave to some staff in
the off-season, effectively creating a seasonal schedule while
maintaining permanent employment
- Contracting with and providing office space
for visiting providers
- Encouraging residents to schedule routine
care during the off-season
- Hiring seasonal employees
- Increasing the use of volunteers in peak
season
- Contracting with locum tenens (seasonal/temporary
substitute) providers
Although the locum tenens system was designed
in part with rural communities and temporary needs in mind, it
was the least-preferred solution to a perennial problem. Locum
tenens providers were viewed as very expensive, providing housing
as part of the contract was difficult, and quality of care was
uncertain.
The potential for reciprocity between "summer"
and "winter" communities was unexplored. The possibility
may exist for "winter" communities to partner with "summer"
communities to share healthcare resources. Although some private
providers already have seasonal practices, small frontier communities
often lack the economic base to support private providers and
must rely on public initiatives.
Because of their proximity to international
borders, residents of two communities - Skagway and Quartzsite
- often relied on an "international safety net" for
access to affordable services. The loss of access to Canadian
physicians for Skagway residents represented a dramatic policy
barrier to geographically accessible health services.
Because this study employed a case study
approach, these findings cannot be generalized. The three communities
showed a wide range of demographic, economic, and sociocultural
conditions. Differences in state and local government further
conditioned the range of policy responses available at the local
level.
I. INTRODUCTION
This report presents the findings from three
case studies of frontier communities with seasonal population
variations. As a follow-up to an earlier survey, the study builds
on the results from a survey of State Offices of Rural Health
and seeks to explore how the healthcare infrastructure - specifically
within frontier communities - interacts with the ebbs and flows
of seasonal populations.
A. Key Findings from the 2003 Survey on Seasonal
Populations
In 2003, the Frontier Education Center surveyed
the State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) in States with counties
designated as frontier (Frontier Education Center 2003) . The
goals of this study were to compile available data on seasonal
population fluctuations, document any known impacts of these fluctuations
on health services, and learn how affected communities cope with
these fluctuations. However, the primary lesson learned from this
project is that there is no uniform system for collecting seasonality
data. Neither communities, States, nor Federal agencies have a
satisfactory or uniform method of collecting data on seasonal
populations; moreover, the State Offices of Rural Health were
not in the position to collect such data.
This might not be surprising given the
range of different types of seasonal populations and the communities
into which they migrate. A typology of seasonal populations that
particularly affect frontier communities emerged from responses
to the survey; these include:
- Seasonal workers (e.g. fisheries, farm, tourist
industry)
- Outdoor / high risk recreation
- National parks & monuments tourism
- Snowbird communities
- Seasonal / second home communities
- Special events (e.g. Sturgis, South Dakota,
Motorcycle Rally)
- Other tourists and short-term visitors
Given the lack of available information to answer
the initial question, a second part was undertaken to develop
a resource guide for States and communities who would like to
find additional information about seasonal population changes,
how seasonal impacts are identified and what Federal and State
agencies collect and analyze this information.
A variety of different agencies, at different
scales, collect data related to seasonal populations, including
State tourism offices, transportation departments, university
business schools, State and national parks, and other non-health
entities. For relevant health-related data on seasonal populations,
several SORHs indicated that hospitals, EMS providers, and public
health offices at the local level might have relevant data.
SORH respondents who were aware of communities
with important seasonal population variations named a number of
communities as examples. These examples formed the pool from which
the case studies were selected for further research.
B. Objectives and Methods
Given the limited information available for
the first study, this follow-up study seeks to document the experience
of a small number of communities with seasonal populations in
meeting the healthcare needs of both the permanent local population
as well as the seasonal residents and visitors. Three communities
were selected for case studies: Skagway, Alaska; Quartzsite, Arizona;
and Lake City/Hinsdale County, Colorado.
The case studies sought two answer two broad
questions:
Question 1: How is the healthcare infrastructure
managed to accommodate variations in need resulting from seasonal
population fluctuations?
Question 2: How does managing the infrastructure
for seasonal populations affect the care of the permanent local
population?
Key informant interviews were conducted via
telephone in June and July 2005. In some cases, follow up questions
and responses were elicited via email. Initial contact was made
with local Chambers of Commerce, who then provided names and contact
information for further interviews. In one case, the Chamber forwarded
an email request to all the identified informants. Some informants
named additional persons as potential respondents. In some cases,
personnel at the SORH also served as key informants, assisted
with referrals, and provided background materials. See Appendix
A for a list of contacts.
A more detailed question guide was developed
and refined as research progressed; the question guide appears
in Appendix B. This guide served as a starting point to focus
the inquiry, and where possible, informants were provided with
the guide in advance of the interviews. Because informants drew
on local context and individual expertise in their responses,
however, the data elicited from each community varies.
A number of supplementary materials were used
to develop the case studies. In the case of Skagway, it was possible
to supplement the interviews with material from the The Skagway
News, as its archive was freely accessible online. In Quartzsite,
an ongoing community-initiated collaborative research project
on health services and seasonality had been initiated during the
previous year. The project meant that a number of key informants
had been focused on the same issues; this both helped and hindered
the present inquiry. Key findings and research reports were shared
and incorporated into this project. And in Colorado, Lake City
and Hinsdale County were in the process of going through a joint
multistage participatory project to develop a comprehensive plan;
the preliminary plan and supporting documents (including results
from stakeholder interviews) were available online, providing
an invaluable resource.
It is worth noting that for two of the case
study communities, summer is the high season. As the interviews
coincided with their busy season, it was often difficult to reach
people in those communities and may have influenced both responders
and non-responders.
II. CASE STUDIES
Three communities with large seasonal population
fluctuations were selected from different geographical contexts
with the intent of identifying experiences with different types
of seasonal populations. Skagway experiences an influx of seasonal
workers who largely cater to the cruise ship passengers who arrive
every day in Skagway during the summer season. Quartzsite is a
winter haven to snowbirds and recreational vehicle (RV) enthusiasts.
Hinsdale County draws outdoor sports enthusiasts in high-altitude
(and high-risk) adventures mainly during the summer.
Nonetheless, there were a number of similarities
as well as differences among these communities. All three communities
are located within frontier counties or county-equivalents, based
on the 2000 Frontier Education Center consensus definition (Frontier
Education Center 2000): Skagway, an independent city, is classified
by the Census Bureau as part of the Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census
area; Quartzsite is in La Paz County; Lake City is the only town
- and therefore the county seat - in Hinsdale County. All three
are also classified by the Federal Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) as non-metro, non-core counties. And all three owe the presence
of seasonal residents and visitors, to a large extent, to landscapes
dominated by public lands.
The USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) has
a number of tools for classifying rurality at the county level.
Table 1 shows select demographic and housing characteristics from
the 2000 Census, the 2003 Urban Influence Codes (UIC), 2004 County
Typology codes, and the 1989 Federal Lands Policy type.
Of the three frontier counties, La Paz County
(Quartzsite) has the largest population, and Hinsdale County the
smallest. For the UICs, the smaller codes represent greater urban
influence. La Paz is adjacent to a metropolitan county (UIC 4);
it is adjacent to Yuma County to the south (Yuma metro area),
and Maricopa County to the east (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale metro
area). The Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census area is classified UIC
10, adjacent to a micropolitan county (Juneau City and Borough),
but does not have any towns with a minimum population of 2,500-9,999.
Hinsdale County has the least urban influence (UIC 12), is not
adjacent to either a metro or micropolitan county, and also lacks
a town with a minimum population of 2,500.
Table 1: Comparison of Case Study Counties
|
Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census Area
(Skagway, AK)
|
La
Paz County
(Quartzsite, AZ)
|
Hinsdale County
(Lake City, CO)
|
Select
Demographic and Housing Characteristics, 2000 Census
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
County
Land Area (sq miles)
|
7,770
|
4,500
|
1,078
|
County Population Density
|
0.4
|
4.4
|
0.7
|
County Population, 2000
|
3,436
|
19,715
|
790
|
Population,
Percent Change, 1990-2000
|
N/A
|
+ 42%
|
+ 69%
|
Housing
Units, Percent Change 1990-2000
|
.3%
|
48.6%
|
4.0%
|
|
|
|
|
Median
age (years)
|
37.8
|
46.8
|
43.9
|
Percent
65 years and over
|
8.5
|
25.8
|
11.6
|
Median
household income
|
40,879
|
25,839
|
37,279
|
Per
capita income
|
19,974
|
14,916
|
22,360
|
Percent
below poverty level (individuals)
|
12.8
|
19.6
|
7.2
|
Percent
of housing units in seasonal recreational or occasional
use
|
22.3
|
34.6
|
61.3
|
|
|
|
|
2003
Urban Influence Codes
|
10
|
4
|
12
|
|
|
|
|
ERS 2004 County Typology
|
|
|
|
Economic
Dependence
|
Federal/State Government
|
Non-specialized
|
Services-dependent
|
|
|
|
|
Policy
Type
|
|
|
|
Housing stress
|
X
|
|
|
Low-education
|
|
X
|
|
Low-employment
|
X
|
X
|
|
Persistent poverty
|
|
|
|
Population loss
|
|
|
|
Non-metro recreation
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
Retirement destination
|
|
X
|
|
Federal Lands (1989
County Typology)
|
|
|
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
|
|
Percent
Federal Lands
|
N/A
|
77.5%
|
97%
|
|
|
|
|
County PILT
payments, 2005
|
297,987
|
1,059,374
|
72,468
|
See Appendix
C for descriptions of the 2003 Urban Influence Codes and the 2004
County Typologies. Data Sources: 2003 Urban Influence Codes, (Economic
Research Service 2004a); 2004 County Typologies, (Economic Research
Service 2004b); 1989 County Typologies (Economic Research Service
1994). PILT=Payments-in-lieu-of-taxes.
Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon had both the youngest
median age and the lowest percent of residents 65 years and older.
La Paz was the "oldest" for both indicators. La Paz
has the highest proportion of residents 65 and older in the State
of Arizona. Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon also had the highest median
household income, but Hinsdale had the highest per capita income;
La Paz was the lowest for both. La Paz also had the highest percent
of individuals living in poverty (20 percent). Hinsdale County
had an extremely high proportion of housing units classified as
seasonal, recreational, or occasional use (61 percent), reflecting
the second home ownership of Hinsdale's seasonal population. As
mobile homes and trailers are not included in this statistic,
Skagway and La Paz appear to have a much smaller seasonal housing
stock (22 percent and 35 percent, respectively).
In the 2004 County Typology Economic Type classification,
La Paz is classified as non-specialized, or not dependent on any
of the classified industries. In contrast, Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon
is classified as Federal/State government-dependent, meaning that
"15 percent or more of average annual labor and proprietors'
earnings derived from Federal and State government during 1998-2000"
(Economic Research Service 2004b), in spite of the importance
of tourism and related industries. Hinsdale County is classified
as services-dependent, where a minimum of 45 percent of labor
and proprietors' earnings come from service categories such as
retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and miscellaneous
services.
The ERS Policy Types indicate two important
similarities. First, all three counties were classified as "non-metro
recreation destinations." Second, all three were classified
as "Federal lands" policy types in the 1989 County Typology
(Economic Research Service 1994) (this category was not updated
in the 2004 County Typology). The recreation classification reflects,
to a great extent, the high proportion of Federal lands available
for recreation opportunities. Of the three, Hinsdale County had
the highest proportion of Federal lands (97 percent); the majority
of these lands are National Forest lands. In La Paz County, the
majority of Federal lands are Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
lands. On average, the population of non-metro recreation counties
grew by approximately 20 percent in the 1990s, or three times
the average population growth of other non-metro counties (Johnson
and Beale 2003; Reeder and Brown 2005). Both La Paz and Hinsdale
counties demonstrate this rapid growth (in part a reflection of
a small initial population), with populations increasing by 42
percent and 69 percent respectively (similar data are not available
for the Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon census area).
The other policy type classifications identify
differences between the three counties. La Paz County was further
classified as low education, low employment, and retirement destination
policy types. Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon was also classified as low
employment; it was the only one classified as housing stressed.
Hinsdale had no further policy classification.
CASE 1: SKAGWAY, ALASKA
click on the map for a larger version
Skagway is located in Southeast Alaska, the northernmost
stop in the Inside Passage. The city is connected to Juneau via
the Alaska Marine Highway with regular and high-speed ferries, as
well as air service to Juneau. It is also one of the few communities
in the region with a road connection to Canada and interior Alaska.
The Klondike Highway, with year-round access established in 1986,
runs from Skagway, through British Columbia and into the Yukon Territories,
eventually joining the Alaska Highway. The nearest city reachable
by highway (110 miles) is Whitehorse, Yukon Territories; road distance
to Anchorage or Fairbanks is approximately 800 miles. Popular visitor
attractions include the historic sites of the gold rush, including
the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.
"Industrial tourism." Tourism
is the "lifeblood" of Skagway (Boucher 1999). Skagway
has a year-round population of 862 (2000 Census) that triples in
the summer to approximately 2,500 with seasonal business owners
and their employees. In addition, the city expects to receive over
a million visitors this year between May and September, mainly from
the cruise ship industry (800,000 passengers and 200,000 crew),
averaging 6,000-8,000 disembarkments per day. Another 200,000 independent
visitors are expected this summer. In recent years, cruise ships
arrived six days a week during the season, allowing one day off
per week. However, this year, from the first day of the season the
ships have arrived "every day for five months, 133 days,"
allowing no breaks from work, congestion, waiting lines, or tourists.
Seasonal workers tend to be young - many
are students - and many are "repeaters," returning year
after year. Because tourism is seasonal, a few months of each year
account for a major portion of the total economic activity. For
example, in 1998, total employment varied from 349 in January to
1,106 in July, with the number of employers with 10 or more employees
ranging from 11 in January to 26 in July (Boucher 1999); in 2004,
the number of jobs ranged from 424 in January to 1,233 in July (see
Figure 1). Many businesses close for the winter, and in most cases,
when the seasonal businesses close, the owners as well as employees
leave town. Some "seasonal residents" are permanent residents
who also go south for the winter, including a number of retired
"snowbirds."
Land issues. In terms of area, Skagway is the largest city
in Alaska, with 455 square miles of land (City of Skagway no date).
However, approximately 7,000 acres of municipal lands are unavailable
for development until the city receives patent for this acreage
(Skagway Development Corporation 2004). The Alaska Statehood Act
of 1958 included a transfer of 800,000 acres of Federal lands to
the new State specifically for the purpose of developing and expanding
communities and providing a means of financing local government
(1958). Patent is the final hurdle in a complicated and lengthy
legal process of redistribution from the Federal government, to
Native Alaskans and the State of Alaska, and finally to local governments.
The City of Skagway expects to have 345 acres conveyed this year
and another 900 soon after.
Figure 1. Seasonal variation in Skagway
employment. Employment statistics for companies reporting to the
Alaska Department of Labor. Numbers do not include non-reporting
companies, self-employed, government employed, or workers who work
in Skagway but are reported in statistics for other communities
(e.g. company HQ or regional offices). Graph courtesy of the Skagway
Development Corporation; employment statistics from the Alaska Department
of Labor.
Housing crisis.
The inability to develop these lands is a principle cause of a housing
problem that has reached crisis proportions. While the land issue
is expect to be resolved in the near future, housing continues to
be the biggest problem facing seasonal business owners and employees,
and has contributed to skyrocketing land and housing values; this
in turn has created a scarcity of affordable housing for permanent
and new residents. Many seasonal employers provide housing as part
of the employment contract; those that don't may have difficulty
in recruiting employees (Collins 2001a). Homes, apartment buildings,
and even hotels have been purchased for seasonal use, and are removed
from the year-round market. RV parks and campgrounds are often filled
beyond capacity with seasonal workers, who may pay as much for a
campsite as they would for an apartment if one were available, while
visitors who arrive intending to camp may have difficulty finding
space. Overflowing campgrounds have resulted in RVs parking in undesignated
places, forcing the city to consider temporary re-zoning measures
to accommodate the overflow (Grove 2005).
City services. The City of Skagway is the
largest year-round employer, with 10 departments and approximately
40 year-round employees; this increases to approximately 70 during
the summer season (City of Skagway no date). The only medical service
provider in the area, Dahl Memorial Clinic, is also city-owned,
with three full time and two seasonal providers (more below). Nearly
all the departments make use of seasonal staff; this includes the
Convention and Visitors Bureau (two full-time, three seasonal staff),
the Police Department (seven full-time and four seasonal employees,
including two seasonal police officers), the Volunteer Fire Department
(two full-time paid staff, three part-time, and a seasonal EMS responder),
the Harbor (one full-time and one seasonal), and Public Works (seven
full-time and four seasonal). The Fire Department depends on approximately
36 volunteers in the summer and 10-20 in the winter.
Local schools are also affected by the seasonal
population (Brady 2004). The Alaska Department of Education (DOE)
counts the number of students enrolled in mid-October to determine
funding levels. The Skagway school district typically lost around
20 percent of its student population between the start of the school
year and the end of the tourism season; these seasonal students
return March-May. That meant that the schools provided education
for the seasonal students but did not receive any State funding
for them; the city lost an estimated one million dollars over the
previous decade. In 2004, the school system received a waiver from
the DOE to change the count period to mid-September to capture some
of the seasonal population. However, the school system must request
the waiver on an annual basis.
City services are funded in part by a 4 percent
sales tax and an 8 percent hotel tax, with the majority of tax revenues
earned during the summer tourism season. The Skagway Municipal Code
permits the unobligated remainder of sales tax revenues to be used
"for services responding to visitor impact including, but not
limited to emergency services, clinic, and museum"(City of
Skagway 2005). A 2005 ordinance amended the code to permit and prioritize
the funding of medical service delivery, after repayment of obligations
and school funding. The city also receives "payments-in-lieu-of-taxes"
(PILT) revenues from Federal lands that aid "in funding services
such as medical clinic operations, search and rescue and fire training."
In 2002, the City of Skagway received $91,686 (as an independent
city outside of an organized borough, Skagway directly receives
the PILT monies).
In 2001, a proposed seasonal increase in summer
sales tax (to 5 percent) and omission of sales tax during the winter
was debated, but the measure was defeated (Collins 2001b; Lavrakas
2001a). The city later passed an ordinance allowing the City council
to declare a "sales tax holiday" between October and March,
where no sales tax is paid on purchases made in Skagway (Lavrakas
2001b). In 2004, the Council declared the period of November 20-December
31 a sales tax holiday. The seasonal tax debates reveal some of
the tensions between the permanent and seasonal residents, as well
as the burdens imposed on city services during the tourism season.
"Locals prefer winter." A seasonal
economy brings a seasonal rhythm to community life, which in Skagway
is suspended for the summer, resuming after the tourist season ends.
November-December is the "high social season," when residents
have time to relax and decompress, reconnect with friends and family
whom they may not have seen all summer, and hold community events.
After the winter holidays comes a quiet period, where people rest
and prepare for the upcoming summer onslaught.
A common view is that Skagway has reached its
maximum capacity to receive tourists, perhaps exceeded it, with
some fearing that residents are getting burned out. It is common
for permanent residents to wear many hats, and the community is
well-known for its high rates of charitable giving and volunteerism.
During tourist season, residents are overextended, working "ungodly
hours in summer." One fears a decline in volunteerism as well
as some backlash against tourism.
Health Services
Dahl Memorial Medical Clinic is city-owned, with
management services contracted to Bartlett Regional Hospital in
Juneau. However, the clinic has been in transition for a number
of years. Although the facility has always been city-owned, it had
previously been run by a non-profit organization; the City took
over operations and contracted with Bartlett in 2003 (Brady 2003;
Anonymous 2004; Cremata 2004; Cremata 2005a). These changes have
been accompanied by a number of personnel changes and temporary
staffing shortages. Respondents could discuss the changes and the
present situation, but not describe a "typical" or "normal"
situation, making analysis of seasonal impact more difficult.
At this time, the clinic operates with a
full-time administrator, two full-time and one seasonal (locum tenens)
midlevel providers (physician assistants and/or advanced nurse practitioners)
contracted through and overseen by a Medical Director at Bartlett.
The clinic hopes to replace the seasonal position with a third full-time
position, so as to enable the clinic to remain staffed by two providers
when one takes a vacation. Other clinic staff, and a receptionist/billing
clerk are city employees. Services offered are described as routine
family medicine, emergency room care, urgent care, x-ray facilities,
laboratory services, and a limited dispensary. However, services
are also described as "limited," and emergencies are generally
stabilized and transported to Juneau. Services available through
Bartlett include access to the hospital pharmacy, laboratory, and
diagnostic imaging.
Some specialized providers visit from Bartlett
and use the clinic facilities: a pediatrician comes every 1-2 months;
a nurse provides wellchild care and vaccination clinics; an internal
medicine specialist visits quarterly, and a counselor comes once
a month. A visiting independent dentist rents space in the clinic.
Current plans call for trying to get more visiting physicians, including
a general practitioner. One informant noted that a single visit
by a GP could save 30 people a very expensive trip to Juneau.
Clinic hours are 9-5 p.m., MTThF; 9-12 a.m. W,
and 24-hour emergency response. In 2004, the clinic saw approximately
3,000 patients. In the winter, the clinic sees an average eight
to ten patients per day; in the summer that number climbs to around
12-20 patients a day, representing an increase of 40 to 50 percent.
Extended summer hours were proposed, but are not currently offered.
In general, the clinic operates on an appointment basis; however,
summer/seasonal people are also seen as walk-ins.
There is no retail pharmacy in Skagway. The clinic dispensary has
a limited drug list and can only provide medications to clinic patients;
it cannot fill prescriptions for residents or visitors. On occasion
when a visitor needs an emergency prescription refill, the script
can be flown to Juneau, filled, and be back in a few hours, often
quickly enough for a day visitor returning to a cruise ship that
night.
One informant noted that the summer population
is a lifesaver for the clinic - it subsidizes the winter season.
Nonetheless, collecting payment from both local and seasonal patients
has been a problem. Many in both populations lack insurance, with
a slightly higher rate of uninsured among the winter residents,
as employment with companies drops in the winter. Most residents
insured through Medicare go south for the winter. And although seasonal
workers frequently don't receive health insurance benefits, they
are compensated by higher wages and (often) housing. The clinic
does seek full payment from seasonal patients, or a minimum of 20
percent at the time of service. For insured patients, another problem
is that the clinic is not currently a member of a preferred provider
organization (PPO) in any insurance plan. Some residents travel
to larger cities to simply avoid insurance hassles. The clinic is
hoping to become a member of a PPO in the near future.
Loss of access to Canadian physicians.
Many Skagway residents previously drove to the Canadian city of
Whitehorse for medical care, and particularly maternity care, as
it is the nearest city accessible by road (Cremata 2005b). In 2004,
the Canadian Medical Protection Association (CMPA) decided to stop
providing malpractice insurance for Canadian physicians who treat
non-Canadians. Unless it is a life-threatening emergency, Canadian
physicians can no longer accept U.S. patients. Stories chronicling
the plight of pregnant women who can no longer deliver in Whitehorse,
or accident victims seeking care but having to turn around and go
to Juneau, appear in local and regional newspapers (Cremata 2005b;
Hedrick 2005; Keeker 2005). Canadian physicians who have long treated
Skagway residents are seeking exemptions, but until that happens,
Skagway residents must find alternative sources of care. Although
many Skagway residents are accustomed to seeking medical care in
Juneau, Anchorage, or Seattle, the loss of access to care in Canada
represents additional financial hardships as the costs of transportation
and lodging in these distant cities multiply the costs of care.
Losing access to Whitehorse physicians has also
changed the debate surrounding a proposed highway project to connect
Juneau and Skagway. A 2003 survey found that although 83 percent
of Skagway residents wanted improved access to Juneau, the majority
(55 percent) supported improved ferry service over a road (State
of Alaska 2003). Skagway residents have protested against the road.
Some protested on economic grounds, fearing the road could bring
the demise of the cruise ship tourism; others protested on environmental
grounds. Most, however feared changes to quality of life and community
identity: "
most people's concerns regarded a decrease
in public safety, increase in crime from Juneau, increased economic
leakage, a downgrading of the Skagway Port's position as the gateway
to the Yukon, a decrease in the quality of life, environmental concerns,
and that Skagway would become more of a truck stop than a destination."
However, some residents came to support the road because they could
no longer drive to Whitehorse for healthcare, and now found dependence
on air and sea transport to Juneau to be too limited, expensive,
and unreliable.
The proposed Juneau-Skagway road will not be built. As this report
was being prepared, the National Park Service declared some of the
lands surrounding Skagway as "contributing elements" of
the White Pass National Historic Landmark. This action has virtually
eliminated the possibility of building a road to Skagway, and led
the Department of Transportation to drop the proposal to build a
road to Skagway. The alternative proposal is now to build a road
to a ferry terminal at Katzehin. Skagway residents would still have
to take a ferry to Katzehin to access the Juneau road (Brady 2005).
Medical transport to Juneau. While there
are two local air transport companies, the contract with Bartlett
Regional Hospital requires that a Bartlett helicopter - sent from
Juneau - be used except in extreme emergencies. A typical air transport
would thus take at least two hours. When a local air transport is
used, flight time is one hour. These helicopters are not equipped
to fly at night, however; as it gets dark at 3:00 pm in the winter,
air transport becomes less viable. In extreme emergencies, a Coast
Guard helicopter is the only option, as it is equipped to fly at
night.
Three commercial air services fly out of Skagway
to Juneau, with round trip fares of approximately $150. Typical
winter weather also creates hazardous conditions for flying, frequently
closing airports. Outbound and return flights are often delayed
by a day or more; for patients and their families stuck in Juneau,
that means spending more money on hotels. Many residents prefer
the ferry system, which can range from $50-60 per person to around
$300 for four people and a jeep. The slow ferry takes approximately
six hours, and the fast approximately two hours. Ferry schedules
are greatly reduced in the winter.
Seasonal variation in healthcare needs.
In the summer, the clinic sees more lacerations, sprains, broken
bones, injuries associated with the biking, hiking, and climbing
activities of the seasonal residents and visitors. The clinic sees
more airlifts in summer than winter because of these types of injuries.
For example, in the week before the interview, two separate bicycle
accidents required the patients to be air evacuated, one for a broken
femur and another for a head injury. Earlier in July, a climbing
guide fell approximately 50 feet (Collins 2005b). Because a number
of the seasonal residents are students, the clinic treats a higher
number of STDs. Respiratory conditions and the flu round out the
summer illness profile. In the winter, the clinic sees mainly respiratory
conditions.
Future plans. A new clinic building is
planned with construction expected to begin in the next year. Land
for the clinic was donated by a local bank (Wells Fargo Alaska),
which will expand the number of exam rooms from three to nine, offer
permanent space for counseling services, and create more space to
attract visiting specialists. The clinic received a grant to purchase
a new x-ray machine, which will enable the digital transmission
of x-rays to Bartlett.
Creating housing at the new clinic for visiting,
seasonal, or newly arrived staff is a high priority as well (Collins
2005a). The issue of housing was mentioned by one former staff member
as a cause of personal dissatisfaction, as well as a barrier to
recruiting the locum tenens provider when the city was reluctant
to "be in the housing business" (Cremata 2005a). The locum
tenens provider did receive housing as part of the contract this
year.
CASE 2: QUARTZSITE, ARIZONA
click on the map for a larger version
Quartzsite isn't just a town, it's a phenomenon.
Time, National Geographic, Trailer Life Magazine
- all write stories about Quartzsite. The town is located in the
Arizona desert 125 miles west of Phoenix, north of Yuma and near
the border with California, just off of Interstate 10. Although
the town has grown to 3,400 residents, this number is dwarfed in
the winter when the snowbirds and rock hounds arrive for the annual
"Senior Citizen Pow-wow," "Snowbird Jamboree,"
and the Quartzsite Gem and Mineral Show, also known as "the
world's largest flea market and RV show." Thus Quartzsite's
seasonal population increase is a combination of winter residents
and special event populations. The peak period is during the gem
show, when rock hounds join the snowbirds for approximately two
weeks. The town hosts nine major gem and mineral shows throughout
the winter. Although the snowbird phenomenon affects the entire
State of Arizona, Quartzsite is different both in the small size
of the host community, and the fact that so many winter residents
and visitors stay on public lands.
La Paz County is approximately 78 percent Federal
lands, mostly Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. The BLM offers
two options for camping near Quartzsite (Quartzsite Chamber of Commerce
2004). Five designated areas offer free "boondocking"
(dry camping, no services) for up to 14 days; after that, BLM rules
require that campers move at least 25 miles to continue to camp
for free. The other option is the La Posa Long Term Visitor Area
(LTVA), an 11,400 acre area located two miles south of the town,
with limited services (trash, RV dump, and limited water). The permit
costs only $25 per week, or $125 for the entire season (September
15th-April 15th). In addition, there are an estimated 60-75 private
RV parks in the area.
"A metropolis in the winter."
The large winter population has led some observers to call Quartzsite
"Arizona's third largest city in January." Estimates of
the winter population vary wildly. One estimate of the peak population
is approximately 250,000; a recent fly-over count of RVs put the
estimate at 2 million. The Chamber of Commerce estimates over 1
million seasonal residents and visitors per year. These varying
estimates reflect the difficulty in counting not only seasonal residents
but also tourists who stay on public lands, and the lack of methodologies
to count mobile residents (RV campers on public lands are not included,
for example, in the Annual Winter Residents Survey conducted by
the Center for Business Research at Arizona State University (Hogan,
Happel et al. 2003)). Long-term visitor area permits on Quartzsite
area BLM lands, for example, averaged 8,650 per year between 1995-2000.
Winter residents who increasingly stay in single-family homes, condominiums,
apartments, hotels, motels, or with friends and relatives are not
counted either.
The town infrastructure is not designed for this
population. Thus in addition to the elected City Council, the seasonal
population has its own Quartzsite Improvement Association, with
its own office that manages the seasonal population and schedules
its own activities and events. The scale of the seasonal population
enables the visitors to develop a transient community, distinct
from the town of Quartzsite, with its own alternative economy. While
the two worlds overlap, and the town does benefit from the presence
of the seasonal population, it appears that this separation remains
a key challenge for planners of public services.
The two largest employers in Quartzsite are the
Town of Quartzsite and the Pilot Travel Center (Arizona Department
of Commerce 2004). Many retail and travel service providers hire
seasonal employees. Sales tax is high, a total of 9.21 percent,
although only a small proportion goes to the town. The State charges
a 5.6 percent "transaction privilege" sales tax, another
1.11 percent sales tax goes to La Paz County, and Quartzsite charges
a 2.5 percent sales tax (Arizona Department of Commerce 2004). This
tax structure limits the town's ability to support local services
from sales revenues generated by the seasonal population.
Health Services
Residents of Quartzsite are served year-round
by the La Paz Regional Hospital in Parker and its satellite clinic
in Quartzsite, La Paz Medical Services. The clinic is open 8 a.m.-
5 p.m., Monday - Friday during the busy season, but operates only
three days per week during the summer. It is currently staffed by
one midlevel provider; there is no lab or x-ray equipment. Conflicting
statements about service availability (full time vs. part-time hours)
have resulted from a provider vacancy.
Valley Medical Services is a private clinic open only two days a
week; services are provided by a physician who has another clinic
in the nearby town of Blythe, California. Between October and March,
another private clinic, the Quartzsite Medical Center is open; its
two physicians work only during those six months. The EXCEL Group
is a regional mental/behavioral health provider based in Yuma, with
services in Quartzsite. There is no pharmacy in town.
La Paz County is a federally designated Primary
Care Health Professions Shortage Area (HPSA) and Quartzsite a Federal
Medically Underserved Area (MUA) (Arizona Primary Care Area Program
2005b; Arizona Primary Care Area Program 2005a). In the Quartzsite
Primary Care Area, as designated by the Arizona Department of Health,
the "next nearest providers" are located in Parker (35
miles, estimated travel time 41-60 minutes), and Lake Havasu City
(travel time over 80 minutes). Health services in Blythe, California
are approximately 20 miles west of Quartzsite (Blythe is actually
closer than Parker). Palo Verde Hospital in Blythe provides a toll-free
telephone number for calls from Quartzsite. Residents and visitors
may also go to Yuma or Lake Havasu City. A large segment of both
year-round and seasonal residents are veterans, who must travel
to Yuma, Phoenix, Tucson, or Lake Havasu City to make use of Veterans
Administration (VA) medical services.
Fire and emergency services are funded through
local property taxes. A medivac heliport is located at the Fire
Department with 24-hour EMT service; helicopters must be sent from
Parker, Blythe, and/or Yuma depending on the nature of the emergency,
the number of persons involved, and the availability of beds at
receiving hospitals. Two major air ambulance services are TriState
Care Flight and Native Air (Arizona Rural Health Office 2005). In
2004, TriState Care Flight responded to 96 calls in Quartzsite,
and Native Air responded to 40 calls (136 calls total).
Quartzsite is served by a private ambulance service,
River Medical, which reports 800 calls per year for Quartzsite (Arizona
Rural Health Office 2005). Approximately half of hospital transports
go to Palo Verde Hospital in Blythe, the other half to Parker (either
to the La Paz Regional Medical Center or the Parker Indian Health
Service Hospital). The high season for calls is November-March;
in 2004, 395 medical aid calls occurred in January-March and October-December,
compared with 181 calls for April-September. Forty-four percent
of calls were made between January-March. On the other hand, motor
vehicle accident calls were fairly even throughout the year (147
calls in 2004), with the highest number reported for July-September
(42).
The limited health services in Quartzsite are
not a barrier to the many seniors who come to Quartzsite for the
winter. Although most are retired, "snowbirds" tend to
be younger and healthier on average than the general retired population
(Longino 1995). Many have regular physicians in their summer communities,
have their annual visits before they come, and bring a supply of
medications with them. Because they are mobile anyway, they have
no trouble traveling to a metro area if they should need to seek
care. And many come to Arizona with the intent of going to Mexico
for their healthcare needs.
Nonetheless, given the number of winter residents
and visitors, and the town's location at the crossroads of a highway
and an interstate, many accidents and emergencies occur, and the
congestion increases the frustrations experienced by locals. One
respondent reported that during the peak period in late January,
the Fire Department was called to respond to accidents on the highway
nearly every day. While this may overstate the case, it does reflect
community members' anxiety over the distance to emergency medical
services.
Community initiative. In 2004, a
Town of Quartzsite representative requested assistance from the
Resource Conservation & Development Council (RC&D), a non-profit
organization. The town was concerned about a shortage of medical
facilities and services, particularly in the winter, and wanted
help with research to guide the town in future planning and decision
making regarding health services. In partnership with the RC&D,
the Arizona Rural Health Office (RHO) based at the University of
Arizona Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, and the
La Paz Regional Hospital, the town set out to determine needs and
identify possible solutions using a variety of research methods,
including key informant interviews, secondary data, focus groups
with both seasonal and year-round residents, and questionnaires.
Investigators report that many residents are frustrated
with difficulties in getting appointments and the lack of full-time
providers and difficulty getting timely appointments. Specific service
deficiencies identified included the lack of a pediatrician, the
lack of a pharmacy, and no place to get oxygen tanks refilled. Residents
expressed a desire for a walk-in urgent care center.
Primary care service gaps in Quartzsite identified
through the key informant interviews include: limited knowledge
of available services, emergency care/urgent care; dental and nutrition
services for children; a full-time, year-round physician; obstetrical
care; elder care; and transportation services. Other service gaps
included physician specialists, in-home care, pharmacy, x-ray, physical
therapy, mental health services, and a residential convalescent
unit (Arizona Rural Health Office 2005).
In August 2005, the project presented its
findings and recommendations to the Town of Quartzsite and its project
partners. A number of short- and long-term recommendations were
made to improve health services for both year-round and seasonal
residents.
Table 2: Recommendations to Improve Health
Services in Quartzsite
SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS (1 YEAR)
|
Issue
|
Recommendation
|
·
Many residents
not aware of all available services
·
some services
underutilized
|
1.0 Develop & distribute publication outlining
available services
|
·
La Paz
Regional Hospital (LPRH) operates La Paz Medical Services
clinic
·
LPRH is hiring
a new physician to start in 2005.
Access to physicians and allied health professionals
is a problem in Quartzsite
|
2.0 Town of Quartzsite & LPRH should collaborate
and plan for how the new physician can best serve Quartzsite
residents
2.1 Planning should include adequate allied health
support
|
·
Residents have
difficulty accessing services due to limited office hours
|
3.0 Expand hours of operation at LPRH clinic
|
·
Variations in
methodologies, estimates for reporting increase in winter
population
·
A consistent methodology
would assist the development of community services, infrastructure
|
4.0
Review methodology
for estimating seasonal population variations.
4.1
Adopt a consistent
methodology to estimate the seasonal population change
|
LONG TERM RECOMMENDATIONS (1-3 YEARS)
|
·
Quartzsite has
multiple community assets including community leadership,
economic activity, potential for economic growth
·
Common view among
community stakeholders represent a strong awareness of need
to address healthcare issues
|
5.0 Form coalition to study economic impact of the
healthcare sector in Quartzsite
|
·
Numerous options
suggested for funding additional health services
·
Fundraising and
grant seeking among options to consider
|
6.0 Continue to seek and develop funding strategies
including grants/loans and local resource development
|
·
Local tax might
be a method to fund additional health services
·
Potential healthcare
tax could be supported by a combination of full-time residents
and winter visitors
|
7.0 Explore feasibility of local healthcare tax
|
Source: Quartzsite Health Care Assessment:
Demographics, Utilization, and Needs (Arizona Rural Health Office,
2005).
Many of these recommendations are targeted toward improving the
overall level of health services available to residents of Quartzsite.
Other ideas that emerged in discussions included the establishment
of mobile clinics that serve special populations (e.g. veterans)
or MASH-type units that go where seasonal needs dictate.
CASE 3: LAKE CITY / HINSDALE COUNTY, COLORADO
click on the map for a larger version
click on the map for a larger version
Hinsdale County is located in southwest Colorado,
bordering on Gunnison, Saguache, Mineral, Archuleta, La Plata, San
Juan, and Ouray counties. Hinsdale has the 3rd smallest population
in the State and the 15th smallest in the U.S. Lake City, the only
town in the county and the county seat, is a National Historic District,
one of the largest in the State of Colorado. The majority of county
residents live in or within 15 miles of Lake City. "Sub-communities"
include Cathedral (ranching, outdoor recreation, backcountry access),
the Rio Grande area (summer homes, resorts, wilderness), and the
Upper Piedra (ranching, seasonal homes) (Grice 2005b).
The county is 97 percent public lands (96 percent
is Federal land), principally national forest and wilderness areas.
The public lands are the foundation of the community's economic
prosperity (Grice 2005e), as well as a source of community identity
and pride. They are simultaneously at the root of a number of economic
and community development challenges, including seasonality and
boom-and-bust cycles (The Wilderness Society). The principle economic
activity of the area has evolved from mining to ranching and now
to recreation and tourism.
The county is in the heart of the San Juan
Mountains, with Lake City at 8,700 feet. Flyfishing is a major attraction,
and private lands are purchased for fishing rights to the Lake Fork
of the Gunnison River and Henson Creek. Limited public access drives
demand for private access. Outdoor tourism and recreation attractions
include Jeep trails, off-road vehicle trails, and hiking trails.
As the map indicates, only one primary road runs
through Hinsdale, classified as a State rural highway. This road
connects Lake City with the town of Gunnison, where the nearest
hospital accessible year-round by road (60 miles) is located. There
is no public transportation to Gunnison. Lack of roads is perceived
as an obstacle to economic development (Grice 2005c). Air service
out of airports in Gunnison (a one hour drive) and Montrose (a two
hour drive) is expensive. Other local, seasonal and backcountry
roads exist, but require off-road vehicles and may only be open
part of the year. The "Alpine Loop" to Silverton, for
example, looks like a short 35-40 miles, and its scenic byway designation
entices many motorists. However, it takes about four hours to travel
to Silverton over a seasonal mountain route of switchbacks and 12,000
foot passes. Public safety officials are frequently called to rescue
motorists caught unaware in unsuitable vehicles.
The year-round county population of 760 may quadruple
between June and September, when an estimated 1,000-3,000 summer
residents arrive. Most are characterized as the "young retired,"
around 55 years old, and many do part-time work. Non-labor income
represented 48 percent of total personal income in 1997, indicating
a growing retirement community (The Wilderness Society). Most are
second homeowners, escaping the heat of Texas and Oklahoma. Many
of these are RVers who stay on both public and private lands. Many
short-term visitors are campers who return year after year, often
to the same campground or RV park, or rent the same cabins.
Lake City and Hinsdale County Comprehensive Plan.
Beginning in January 2005, Lake City and Hinsdale County initiated
a joint planning process to develop a comprehensive plan to provide
"sound demographic and land use pattern guidance for local
infrastructure planning and land use decisions for the next 20 years"
(Grice 2005a). Although the project is not yet completed and documents
are preliminary, the vision statement includes the development goal
of a year-round economy. A number of strategies will be explored
to even out the seasonal swings, including promotion of winter tourism,
finding ways to convert seasonal residents to year-round residents,
and strengthening the telecommunications infrastructure and promoting
telecommuting.
Community Plan Vision Statement
We envision the preservation and enhancement of the historic,
Lake City/ Hinsdale mountain community, a place where local
officials and citizens work together to protect community character,
quality of life and the environment, and to develop a year-round
economy, consistent with community values and interests. |
Source: Lake
City and Hinsdale County Comprehensive Plan Project Page.
While many residents appreciate that the public lands limit growth
and contribute to the maintenance of their small-town community,
they recognize how these limits contribute to their development
problems. Public lands reduce the taxable base, and the limited
expansion potential has driven up land values and rents. This in
turn has contributed to a shortage of affordable housing for year-round
residents, as well as seasonal employees who work in the low-wage
tourism sector. One stakeholder noted that "Commercial rents
are high relative to length of seasons" and that "Occupancy
costs far exceed the net profit on commercial property" (Grice
2005f).
The community desires greater involvement in public
lands management decisions, both for their impact on the tourism
and recreation economy, and for the impact on local community access.
In the stakeholder interviews for the Comprehensive Plan, respondents
had a great number of comments regarding the management of public
lands and the impact on their community. One commented that the
new Recreational Access Tax ($78) imposed by the Forest Service
on recreational users effectively "restricts many low and moderate
income people from using the forest" (Grice 2005f), including
the people who live there. Many feared current and future restrictions
on recreational activities would harm their economy and lifestyle.
Another issue involves a number of non-profit
organizations buying land adjacent to public lands. One respondent
noted that while the community welcomes these organizations, their
non-profit status exempts them from paying taxes on these properties,
yet they still use county services. With a limited taxable land base
to begin with, these organizations are perceived to put a strain on
local services (Grice 2005f).
In stakeholder interviews for the comprehensive
planning process, respondents noted that their strong sense of community
involved high levels of volunteerism as a prominent characteristic
of their community, both year-round and seasonal residents; one
respondent commented "Seasonal residents are huge contributors
of time, talent, and financial resources to local community organizations"
(Grice 2005b). The volunteers who staff the museums are largely
seasonal residents.
The Lake City School has 77 students and operates
on a four-day week throughout the school year. Students attend longer
hours, but have Mondays off for personal time, for example, to go
to doctors' appointments, because of the time involved in traveling
long distances.
Health services
Lake City Area Medical Center is a federally-certified
Rural Health Clinic (RHC) staffed by a physician offering primary
care, urgent care, minor surgery, and sonography. Ambulance service
is available 24 hours per day. The nearest hospital, approximately
a one-hour drive, is Gunnison Valley Hospital (GVH), a 24-bed, acute
care hospital, 24-hour Level IV Trauma center, owned and operated
by Gunnison County. GVH is a Critical Access Hospital (CAH). If
more specialized care is required, St. Mary's Hospital and Regional
Medical Center in Grand Junction is the largest medical center between
Denver and Salt Lake City. It is also a Level II trauma center with
air service; otherwise it is a 3-hour drive from Lake City. A partnership
with Gunnison Valley Hospital brings a visiting physical therapist,
mental health provider and behavioral health counselor to the Lake
City Medical Center. The clinic has a pharmacy outlet to provide
patients with necessary drugs, but there is no retail pharmacy in
Lake City. Patients must have prescriptions refilled in Gunnison.
Residents must also go to Gunnison for dental care.
A new county public health office has opened in
Lake City and is staffed by a public health nurse. It offers supplemental
food programs, health promotion/education programs, family planning
and reproductive health services including screening programs, support
services for new mothers and babies, and other special programs.
The county public health office is minimally affected by the seasonal
population; they occasionally see a person "who needs shelter,
food, or just a blood pressure taken."
Veterans who wish to use VA health services face
some hardship. The nearest VA clinic is in Montrose, about a 1 hour
drive in the summer and 2 hours in the winter. The nearest VA Hospital
is in Grand Junction (3 hours), and the nearest VA dental clinic
is in Colorado Springs, a 4-5 hour drive when the mountain passes
are open.
In 2002 voters approved a ballot initiative to
create a special tax district, the Lake Fork Health District, to
fund clinic operations. The clinic had previously operated as a
non-profit. The district covers Lake City and the southern portion
of Hinsdale County. In addition to patient revenues, the clinic
is now supported by a 3 mil property tax and a 1 percent sales tax
that each generate approximately $90,000 per year. In addition,
a grant from the Caring for Colorado Foundation currently supports
one midlevel practitioner position.
Changes in the management and oversight of the
clinic have recently resulted in major personnel changes and a reconfiguration
of staffing. From June-December 2004, a locum tenens provided coverage,
along with providers from other communities, while new staff were
recruited. Two husband-wife teams currently provide clinical services
for 7 days a week: a physician (who also serves as the clinic administrator)
and an ultrasound/medical technician, and a PA/RN team. The providers
make house calls when a patient finds it difficult to travel to
the clinic. The physician previously had a practice in South Fork
(approximately 1 hour south of Lake City), and many of his former
patients now come to Lake City for care.
The number of patients seen in the clinic was
reported as fairly consistent, although numbers peaked in July with
about 350 patients, in contrast with the low point in January with
about 184 patients (including those who came for flu shots). Because
of the many recent changes, the Board does not know yet whether
the clinic will need to make any seasonal adjustments to clinic
staffing. In the past, volunteers were frequently called on in the
summer to assist with increases in paperwork.
The age and composition of the seasonal population
is similar to the year-round population. Seasonal residents are
considered to be generally healthy, as "active lifestyle retirees."
Given the high altitude and their age, a number of health problems
associated with seasonal residents and visitors result from a "weekend
warrior" (or "seasonal warrior") type syndrome and
expectations of strenuous activities. Altitude sickness has the
greatest impact on the elderly, and many don't realize the impact
of altitude on their physical abilities.
Another recognized phenomenon is the summertime
strep throat outbreak. One respondent suggested that the high-density,
close living conditions in the campgrounds were responsible for
the outbreaks.
"Lots of stitches and broken bones."
By far however, the most common health issues involved accidents
related to outdoor recreation, with little difference in type of
injuries between the permanent and the seasonal population. With
seasonal residents, providers see the "same thing, just do
it more often." Currently, most patients with orthopedic injuries
or requiring simple surgery are transported by ambulance to the
hospital in Gunnison. Summer is the most taxing on the emergency
services group. Only one position is paid, the rest are volunteer
workers. EMTs and the Search And Rescue (SAR) team are largely the
same people. One roundtrip ambulance trip to Gunnison will take
the volunteer crew approximately 4 hours; in 2004, there were 60
ambulance runs. The clinic is applying for a grant to buy an x-ray
machine with digital capabilities; having (the) x-rays read via
telemedicine will allow treatment of some injuries in Lake City,
and save a lot of ambulance trips. The ultrasound machine has already
saved several patients a trip to Gunnison.
More serious accidents - for example, if an ATV
goes over a cliff - will be airlifted to St. Mary's in Grand Junction.
If it will take a long time for the helicopter to arrive, the patient
is transported to Gunnison, stabilized, and then flown out of Gunnison.
Residents enjoy the same outdoor activities, but
are busy in the summer working 2-3 jobs. In addition to the summer
activities, fall brings accidents related to hunting, and winter
brings snowmobiling. Because of peak volumes in summer, residents
are encouraged to schedule routine care during winter months. Clinic
providers are not permitted to take vacation in the summer, between
June15-Sept 15; this is written in the clinic's personnel manual.
The Lake Fork Health District has plans to expand
the clinic facility. Currently the providers share the clinic with
EMTs, SAR groups, and visiting providers from Gunnison. The clinic
also hopes to recruit more visiting specialists in the future, including
an orthopedic specialist, a dermatologist, and a dentist.
The Lake City and Hinsdale County health services
are considered an asset to the community. Over the past five years,
a number of health-related community improvement projects have been
undertaken, including the opening of a county public health office,
the creation of the Lake Fork Health District, a refurbished helipad
at the health center, purchase of a new ambulance, and an increase
in the number of handicapped accessible facilities (Grice 2005b).
Many of the Lake City residents who previously went elsewhere are
now using the Lake City services. Although some were initially skeptical
about the health district, residents are reportedly extremely happy
to have a 7-day per week clinic; this has reduced the number of
emergency calls at night and on weekends. Two recently deceased
community members have left their estates to the Lake Fork Health
District.
III. DISCUSSION
In all three communities, health services are
very limited. Individuals requiring frequent, intensive, or ongoing
specialist care have no practical means of remaining in the community.
Hinsdale was the only community to have a resident year-round physician,
and only for the past 6 months. None have a pharmacy. Year-round
and seasonal residents alike are accustomed to seeking health (and
other) services elsewhere, paying high costs for transportation
and lodging in addition to medical treatment, often without insurance.
While there are many similarities among the three
case study communities, there are some important differences. One
is in the economic status of the seasonal residents and visitors.
Skagway's tourism is "high end" cruise ship tourism; tax
revenues generated from the cruise ship industry help support city
services for year-round residents. In contrast, many of Quartzsite's
seasonal residents and visitors are drawn by the opportunity to
live extremely inexpensively on Federal lands. Although it is a
common perception that RVers are financially well-off, the RV /
snowbird lifestyle also draws many with fixed or limited incomes,
as it is also possible to live more economically in an RV than in
fixed housing. Quartzsite RVers include a full range of incomes
and avail themselves of a range in quality of accommodations, yet
on the whole may be considered "low end" tourism. By choice
or necessity, thousands "dry camp" without services on
Federal lands, create their own communities, and contribute less
to the Quartzsite economy than their numbers might suggest. Because
they are mobile and because of the range of options available to
RVers, local initiatives to generate revenues from the seasonal
residents and visitors can easily be circumvented.
Constant change. A good deal of conflicting
information existed on available health services. The number of
providers and days of operation, for example, are "moving targets."
In frontier communities, small numbers mean that one change can
have a major impact. Attempting to develop a profile of the "normal"
situation was difficult in all three cases, as change was a common
theme. Moreover, given lengthy recruitment times, community informants
were not always aware of intent to replace long-departed staff members
or recruitment efforts underway to add staff. Administrators counted
positions even if currently vacant; community members did not.
Seasonal vs. permanent - overlapping categories.
"Seasonal populations" include permanent residents. In
Skagway, part of the summer influx is the return of snowbirds who
leave for the winter, yet these snowbirds may be permanent residents.
Similarly in Quartzsite, many residents depart for cooler climates
in the summer; residents of southern communities who move north
for the summer are often ignored in snowbird or seasonal population
research (McHugh, Hogan et al. 1995). Some are healthcare workers
who enjoy a seasonal lifestyle as well.
Financing medical services. Although Quartzsite
was the only community to have privately owned medical services,
private providers respond to the seasonal market, and they also
respond to the lack of one. One clinic was open year-round, but
only two days per week. The other was full-time during the winter
season only. Both Skagway and Lake City/Hinsdale have found mechanisms
to publicly support a year-round full time clinic and upgrade its
capacities. Quartzsite is in the discovery process of attempting
to do the same, yet differences in State and local government make
it clear that a solution in one place cannot easily be transplanted
to another. Where seasonal populations generate local government
revenues, publicly supported health services benefit. In the case
of Skagway, sales tax revenues generated during the summer season
effectively subsidize health services for the year-round population.
Skagway also benefits from Alaska's unique circumstances (oil wealth)
and special development initiatives such as the Denali Commission.
The clinics in Skagway and Lake City both benefited from philanthropy.
In contrast, both the year-round and seasonal populations in Quartzsite
are older and less wealthy, with seasonal visitors coming for the
flea markets and bargain-hunting. While Quartzsite residents seek
to improve services, "locals can't afford it and seasonal residents
don't want to pay for it" was a common complaint.
Managing fluctuations in supply and demand.
In all three communities, vacations are scheduled during the off-season.
In Arizona, one hospital managed the seasonal variation by staffing
for the peak season, and then managing the drop in demand during
the off-season by approving extended vacations (paid) and leaves-of-absence
(unpaid) during the off-season. In effect, many of the staff were
"seasonal" although permanent employees. This hospital
was considered one of the best-run rural hospitals in the State.
Among employees who could afford it, the opportunity to take 2-3
months off and escape the Arizona summer is considered a benefit;
healthcare providers enjoy a seasonal lifestyle as well. Only one
community actively managed demand by encouraging year-round residents
to schedule routine healthcare appointments during the off-season.
A four-day workweek was another local response to the need to travel
long distances for services.
Surprisingly, only one community reported the
use of a locum tenens provider to meet the needs of seasonal populations.
The immediate need to fill a vacancy at the start of the summer
season prompted the City of Skagway to approve one locum tenens
provider and eventually agree to provide housing. Although the locum
tenens system was specifically developed to meet these short-term
staffing needs, it was viewed as an undesirable solution to a perennial
problem.
Reciprocity between "summer" and "winter"
communities is unexplored. The possibility may exist for "winter"
communities to partner with "summer" communities to share
State resources. Some private providers already have seasonal practices;
however, many small frontier communities lack the economic base
to support private providers and must rely on public initiatives.
Emergency services. The greatest impact
of seasonal populations is on emergency services and related infrastructure.
Although characterized as "more of the same," the high-risk
activities of the seasonal population stretch the local capacity
for emergency response. In some ways, this benefits the locals who
likewise participate in high-risk activities. Emergency response
depends heavily on volunteers, who are rewarded with the high regard
and esteem of the local community. In all three communities, fire/emergency
responders were local heroes. All three communities had well-established
emergency response systems and medical evacuation plans.
Importance of reducing unnecessary emergency
transport. "Unnecessary" transports often resulted
from the lack of local diagnostic capacity (imaging and laboratory
services). All three communities wish to increase the capacity to
treat accidents and emergencies locally. The ability to diagnose
and treat less serious injuries locally would reduce the need for
costly transport, both in terms of money and in volunteer time.
Transportation times could be lengthy and involve multiple transfers.
And, these services could be quickly overwhelmed in the case of
multiple casualties. They were further subject to frequent limitations
imposed by weather conditions that can make both road and air travel
unsafe. Further, the high costs of air evacuation (up to $20,000
per flight) accrue to individuals, health systems, and insurance
companies. For the uninsured individual, the cost of a single accident
was catastrophic. For the insured, an ultimate diagnosis of a non-emergent
condition could result in denial of payment.
All three communities now have high-speed Internet
access, potentially enabling both consumers and providers to address
health issues from a distance. Two communities await a new X-ray
machine with digital capability, and anticipate the ability to provide
more and better services through telemedicine and reduce unnecessary
travel.
Indirect impacts on health services. The
interrelated issues of public lands and housing shortages have indirect
impacts on public services. Where limited land is available for
development, seasonal demand for housing contributes to shortages
and skyrocketing real estate values. "Outsiders" frequently
have higher earnings, more capital, and expectations of paying higher
prices. "Locals" who depend on low-wage recreation and
tourism industries find themselves unable to afford housing, which
in turn creates a "labor shortage" or difficulty in recruiting
employees. This has an impact on local services, as salaries are
unable to keep up with housing costs. Communities may experience
long recruiting times, and often must come up with increases in
salaries and benefits.
Direct and indirect impact of seasonal populations
on volunteers. Year-round residents often wear many hats; community
roles may change throughout the year. Volunteerism is a common feature
of these communities, however volunteers are under increasing pressure
to spend their time in income-earning activities. Increases in cost
of living due to lack of affordable housing, and increasing requirements
for certifying emergency responders may place an intolerable strain
on the volunteers and threaten this important role in small communities.
Health services, seasonality and community
development. A commonality among these communities is a constant
search for ways to broaden the year-round economic activity, and
lessen the seasonal swings. For example, both Skagway and Hinsdale
County want to promote winter tourism to balance its summer tourism
activities (Boucher 1999; Brady 2002; Grice 2005c). Increasing the
range of locally available health services is considered a factor
in attaining this goal.
V. CONCLUSION
As found in the 2003 study, reliable data on seasonal
populations were not available; data sources provided fragmented,
incomplete, and often contested estimates of populations throughout
the year. Definitional problems contributed to difficulties in estimating
seasonal populations. "Seasonal populations" could include
legal residents as well as visitors, temporary workers, employers,
and second homeowners; housing in non-permanent structures (e.g.
RV trailers) complicates counting methodologies.
In all three communities, health services are
very limited; year-round and seasonal residents alike are accustomed
to seeking health (and other) services elsewhere, paying high costs
for transportation and lodging in addition to medical care, often
without insurance. Two of the three communities have developed financial
mechanisms to support the public provision of health services. The
third is in the discovery process, examining options for doing the
same.
While the three communities were very different,
a number of important commonalities were identified:
- Failure of markets to provide public services.
In frontier communities, the small populations, large land areas,
and distance from larger markets result in a scale of economy
that cannot support the private provision of services. Public
response is necessary to fill gaps in service that may be provided
by private providers in urban areas.
- Volunteerism. Volunteerism is a common feature
of these communities, among both year-round and seasonal residents.
Volunteerism is both a desired cultural feature and a core piece
of community identity, but also a response to market failure.
Year-round residents often wear many hats; community roles may
change throughout the year. Increases in cost of living due to
lack of affordable housing, and increasing requirements for certifying
emergency responders may place an intolerable strain on the volunteers
and threaten this important role in small communities.
- Dominance of public lands. All three communities
are surrounded by a high proportion of public lands, with a number
of consequences. The public lands draw the seasonal populations
but limit development potential. Differences in agency and management
of the lands have an impact on the relative contribution of seasonal
populations to the local government. Impacts range from a housing
crisis (Skagway) to the development of an alternative economy
(Quartzsite).
- Desire to develop a year-round economy. A common
development objective was to broaden the year-round economic activity,
and lessen the seasonal swings. Increasing the range of locally
available health services is considered an important factor in
attaining this goal.
Impact of seasonal populations on health service
infrastructure
In all three cases, the seasonal population was
considered to be similar to the permanent population in ethnic,
sociodemographic, and health characteristics. The increase in population
during high season represented increased demands on the health care
system, but was characterized simply as "more of the same."
Emergency services. The greatest impact
of seasonal populations is on emergency services and related infrastructure.
The high-risk activities of the seasonal population test the local
capacity for emergency response; this benefits the locals who likewise
participate in high-risk activities. All three communities had well-established
emergency response systems and medical evaluation plans. However,
capacity could be quickly overwhelmed, and unsafe travel conditions
resulting from bad weather could jeopardize these plans.
Need to reduce unnecessary transport. All
three communities wish to increase the capacity to treat accidents
and emergencies locally. The ability to treat less serious injuries
locally would reduce the need for costly transport, both in terms
of money and in volunteer time. Improved diagnostic capabilities
would also reduce unnecessary transport. Transportation times could
be lengthy and involve multiple transfers. And, these services could
be quickly overwhelmed in the case of multiple casualties. They
were further subject to frequent limitations imposed by weather
conditions that can make both road and air travel unsafe. Further,
the high costs of air evacuation (up to $20,000 per flight) accrue
to individuals, health systems, and insurance companies. For the
uninsured individual, the cost of a single accident was catastrophic.
Managing seasonal variations in supply
and demand. One community-based strategy to assist residents
in obtaining healthcare was to offer alternative work schedules
(e.g. a four-day work week) to accommodate the need to travel long
distances. Strategies employed by health service providers to manage
seasonal fluctuations included:
- Scheduling staff vacations in the off-season
- Granting extended leave to some staff in the
off-season, effectively creating a seasonal schedule while maintaining
permanent employment
- Contracting with and providing office space
for visiting providers
- Encouraging year-round residents to schedule
routine care during the off-season
- Offering alternative work schedules to accommodate
the need to travel long distances
- Hiring seasonal employees
- Increasing the use of volunteers in peak season
- Contracting with locum tenens providers
Although the locum tenens system was designed
in part with rural communities and temporary needs in mind, it was
the least preferred solution to a perennial problem. Locum tenens
providers were viewed as very expensive, providing housing as part
of the contract was difficult, and quality of care was uncertain.
The potential for reciprocity between "summer"
and "winter" communities was unexplored. The possibility
may exist for "winter" communities to partner with "summer"
communities to share healthcare resources. Some private providers
already have seasonal practices. Small frontier communities often
lack the economic base to support private providers and must rely
on public initiatives.
Because of their proximity to international borders,
residents of two communities - Skagway and Quartzsite - often relied
on an "international safety net" for access to affordable
services. The loss of access to Canadian physicians for Skagway
residents represented a dramatic policy barrier to geographically
accessible health services.
Because this study employed a case study approach,
these findings cannot be generalized. The three communities showed
a wide range of demographic, economic, and sociocultural conditions.
Differences in state and local government further conditioned the
range of policy responses available at the local level.
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Arizona Rural Health Office (2005).
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Boucher, J. (1999). "Skagway:
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Brady, J. (2002). Council
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Brady, J. (2003). City
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Brady, J. (2004). Welcome
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News. Skagway, AK: online, 4/23/04. Available (8/2/05).
Brady, J. (2005). No
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City of Skagway (2005). Skagway
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City of Skagway. (no date). "City
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Collins, J. (2001a). Crunch
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Collins, J. (2001b). Summer
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Collins, J. (2005a). Architects
begin shaping new clinic. Skagway News. Skagway, AK:
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Collins, J. (2005b). Woman
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7/08/05. Available (8/02/05).
Cremata, A. (2004). Season
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(2003). "Nonmetro
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(2004). "Questions
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APPENDIX A: CONTACT LIST
NOTE: Not all contacts
were interviewed.
SKAGWAY, AK
Jeanine R. Masciola
Skagway Chamber of Commerce
Michael Catsi
Executive Director, Skagway Development Corporation
Glenette Christian
Clinic Administrator, Dahl Memorial Clinic
Ray Leggett
Chief of Police
Mark Kirko
Fire Chief
Carlin "Buckwheat" Donahue
Tourism Director, Convention & Visitors Bureau
QUARTZSITE, AZ
Joyce A. Hospodar
Arizona Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, Arizona Rural Health
Office
Alison Hughes
Director, Arizona Rural Health Office
Danny Markus
Lower Colorado River RC&D Coordinator
Cate Mueller
Quartzsite Chamber of Commerce
Councilman Herman York
Town of Quartzsite
LAKE CITY / HINSDALE, CO
Candy Beebe
Hinsdale County Department of Public Health
Erin Cavit
Lake Fork Health Service District
Jerry Gray
EMS/EM Director
Alena Haskell
Lake City/Hinsdale County Chamber of Commerce
OTHER
Art Blank
President & CEO
Mount Desert Island Hospital
Bar Harbor, ME
APPENDIX B: QUESTION GUIDE
IMPACT OF SEASONAL POPULATION VARIATIONS
ON FRONTIER COMMUNITIES:
MAINTENANCE OF THE HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE
July 2005
The Frontier Education Center is conducting research
on frontier communities with large seasonal population variations.
Three case studies have been selected in Alaska, Arizona, and Colorado.
The study builds on the results from a 2003 survey of State Offices
of Rural Health and seeks to understand how large seasonal variations
in population affect the provision of healthcare and related public
services in small, isolated frontier communities.
CASE STUDY QUESTION GUIDE
Question 1: How is the healthcare infrastructure
managed to accommodate variations in need resulting from seasonal/event-related
population fluctuations?
- Do you bring in additional staff to meet the
needs of the seasonal populations? What types of providers, and
in what types of facilities? How are seasonal providers recruited,
paid, housed? What issues do you face recruiting seasonal staff?
- Do you use locum tenens physicians/providers
to meet seasonal needs?
- Do you have permanent, seasonal/part-year
providers?
- Do you have staff that switch between part-time
and full-time? Or work overtime during peak season?
- Volunteers?
- Are there seasonal differences in patient census?
How is coverage for peak season estimated?
- Are there differences in healthcare needs between
the permanent local population and the seasonal population? (Different
age groups, ethnic/cultural differences, income, insurance status,
different illness/injury profiles?). Does this affect the planning
and provision of services?
- Are there separate facilities for seasonal
providers / populations? How are these financed?
- What are impacts of seasonal populations on
emergency transport and emergency care services?
- What are the impacts of seasonal populations
on local volunteer-staffed health and human services?
Question 2: How does managing the infrastructure
for seasonal populations affect the care of the permanent local
population?
- Do seasonal populations compete with permanent
residents for available services? Or does their presence ensure
more/better health services? Or do seasonal residents/visitors
go elsewhere for healthcare?
- Do seasonal populations place financial strains
on the local infrastructure? Or do they enhance it? Are there
any special taxes or financial tools related to seasonal populations
to pay for extra services?
- If there are differences in insurance coverage
or other strategies for covering the cost of care, does this affect
access to care for either the permanent local population or the
seasonal population? (e.g. providers willingness to treat uninsured,
Medicare/Medicaid patients?)
- Are there differences in expectations of service
or quality? How do staff accommodate these differences?
- What is the impact of seasonal populations
on health services in other nearby communities? (Is there overflow?)
- Is there anything else important that we haven't
asked?
APPENDIX C: DEFINITIONS FOR COUNTY TYPES FROM
TABLE 1
Urban influence codes (1-12): {Economic
Research Service, 2004 #141}
4 - Noncore adjacent to large metro area, does not have a city of
at least 10,000 residents.
10 - Noncore adjacent to micr,o with no own town of (2,500-9,999
residents).
12 - Noncore not adjacent to metro or micro, with no own town (2,500-9,999
residents).
Full list next page.
Economic
Dependence Definitions: {Economic
Research Service, 2004 #140}; mutually exclusive definitions
Farming-dependent
– not applicable
Mining-dependent
– not applicable
Manufacturing-dependent
– not applicable
Federal/State
government-dependent (381 total, 222 nonmetro) counties—15 percent
or more of average annual labor and proprietors' earnings derived
from Federal and State government during 1998-2000.
Services-dependent
(340 total, 114 nonmetro) counties—45 percent or more of average
annual labor and proprietors' earnings derived from services (SIC
categories of retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate;
and services) during 1998-2000.
Nonspecialized
(948 total, 615 nonmetro) counties—did not meet the dependence threshold
for any one of the above industries.
Policy Type Definitions: {Economic Research Service,
2004 #140}; not mutually exclusive, can overlap
Housing
stress (537 total, 302 nonmetro) counties—30 percent or more
of households had one or more of these housing conditions in 2000:
lacked complete plumbing, lacked complete kitchen, paid 30 percent
or more of income for owner costs or rent, or had more than 1 person
per room.
Low-education
(622 total, 499 nonmetro) counties—25 percent or more of residents
25-64 years old had neither a high school diploma nor GED in 2000.
Low-employment
(460 total, 396 nonmetro) counties—less than 65 percent of residents
21-64 years old were employed in 2000.
Persistent
poverty (386 total, 340 nonmetro) counties—20 percent or more
of residents were poor as measured by each of the last 4 censuses,
1970, 1980, 1990, and 2000.
Population
loss (601 total, 532 nonmetro) counties—number of residents
declined both between the 1980 and 1990 censuses and between the
1990 and 2000 censuses.
Nonmetro
recreation (334 designated nonmetro in either 1993 or 2003,
34 were designated metro in 2003) counties—classified using a combination
of factors, including share of employment or share of earnings in
recreation-related industries in 1999, share of seasonal or occasional
use housing units in 2000, and per capita receipts from motels and
hotels in 1997.
Retirement
destination (440 total, 277 nonmetro) counties—number of residents
60 and older grew by 15 percent or more between 1990 and 2000 due
to inmigration.
1989
County Typology – this category not included in the 2004 revision
Federal
lands counties (270) had land areas dominated by Federal ownership.
Seventy-six percent of these counties are in western States. Counties
in this type had larger land areas and were more sparsely populated
than all-nonmetro counties. On average, population in these counties
grew faster during the 1980's than in all-nonmetro counties. Nearly
70 percent of jobs in the average Federal lands county were in the
services or government sectors, reflecting the recreational use
and land management functions of the group. Strong growth in service
sector jobs during the 1980's probably contributed to higher family
income (over $1,900 higher) than in all-nonmetro counties.
{Economic
Research Service, 1994 #142}
USDA/ERS Urban Influence Codes, 2003
Code |
Description |
Number of counties |
2000 Population |
Square miles |
Population per sq. mile |
Metropolitan counties: |
1 |
In large metro area of 1+ million residents |
413
|
149,224,067
|
267,423
|
558.0
|
2 |
In small metro area of less than 1 million residents |
676
|
83,355,873
|
629,671
|
132.4
|
Nonmetropolitan counties: |
3 |
Micropolitan adjacent to large metro
|
92
|
5,147,233
|
94,178
|
54.7
|
4 |
Noncore adjacent to large metro
|
123
|
2,364,159
|
88,229
|
26.8
|
5 |
Micropolitan adjacent to small metro
|
301
|
14,668,144
|
285,527
|
51.4
|
6 |
Noncore adjacent to small metro with own town
|
358
|
7,855,590
|
334,361
|
23.5
|
7 |
Noncore adjacent to small metro no own town
|
185
|
1,879,264
|
336,499
|
5.6
|
8 |
Micropolitan not adjacent to a metro area
|
282
|
9,139,821
|
338,256
|
27.0
|
9 |
Noncore adjacent to micro with own town
|
201
|
3,227,833
|
193,200
|
16.7
|
10 |
Noncore adjacent to micro with no own town
|
198
|
1,313,175
|
196,269
|
6.7
|
11 |
Noncore not adjacent to metro or micro with own town
|
138
|
2,247,189
|
488,521
|
4.6
|
12 |
Noncore not adjacent to metro or micro with no own town
|
174
|
999,558
|
285,304
|
3.5
|
|
Total
|
3,141
|
281,421,906
|
3,537,438
|
79.6
|
Source: USDA Economic Research Service,
"Measuring Rurality: Urban Influence Codes," Available
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/Rurality/UrbanInf/2003
{Economic Research Service, 2004 #141}
|