Roads to Wellness: A System Analysis of Crucial Links between Transportation and
Health in West Virginia
The Roads to Wellness project is bringing together experts and multi-sector stakeholders
from throughout West Virginia in three virtual roundtable discussions to produce
a project report synthesizing the system analysis, logic models, and strategic
plan with prioritized policy actions to enhance West Virginians’ health by addressing
transportation challenges.
This project, funded by the Benedum Foundation, is jointly led by West Virginia University's
(WVU) Bridge Initiative in Science and Technology Policy, Leadership, and Communications
and Marshall University's Division of Community Health in the Department of Family
Medicine at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.
Project leadership includes Dr. Joan Centrella, Director,
Bridge Initiative in Science and Technology Policy, Leadership, and Communications,
Dr. Deb Koester, Assistant Professor and Director,
Division of Community Health, Marshall University, and Dr. Deborah D. Stine,
Study Director, Consultant to WVU; Founder,
Science & Technology Policy Academy. An advisory committee of health and
transportation experts provides guidance on study activities and content.
Study Question
What actions, if any, should West Virginia policymakers (national, state, local,
for-profit, and non-profit organizations) take to respond to concerns that insufficient
transportation options are reducing the quality and quantity of healthcare received
by West Virginians with chronic disease? (e.g., congestive heart failure, diabetes,
COPD, depression & anxiety)
Project Activities
The project activities include roundtables to gather input from stakeholders, followed
by “town hall” events at transportation and healthcare annual meetings and other
events in West Virginia to receive feedback on the draft report based on the roundtable
discussions in the summer and fall of 2024. The report is expected to be completed
by December 2024, with dissemination activities occurring throughout 2025.
During the roundtables, participants will brainstorm policy options to respond to
the roundtable topics below, then discuss the pros and cons of each identified
policy option based on the following
4E criteria:
-
Effectiveness: The degree to which a societal goal is likely to be
reached.
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Efficiency: The cost of implementing the policy relative to its effectiveness.
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Equity: The fairness of the policy. Who are the winners and losers?
-
Ease of political acceptability: The degree to which the policy is
opposed or supported by key stakeholders.
Roundtable participants will individually prioritize options based on that 4E analysis
in an anonymous poll. Science & Technology Notes will have background information
and some potential policy options based on actions in other Appalachian states.
The three invitation-only stakeholder roundtables on the following topics will
take place in April 2024 are:
Roundtable 1: Health on the Move: Bridging Transportation and Care through Telemedicine,
Mobile Clinics, and Integrated Models in West Virginia:
"Health on the Move"
Roundtable participants will explore the critical role of transportation in healthcare
delivery to West Virginians with chronic disease (e.g., congestive heart failure,
diabetes, COPD, depression & anxiety). Topics participants will discuss include
policy options that provide the opportunity for enhancing the use of (1) telemedicine
to offer a viable alternative for patients in remote areas of West Virginia, eliminating
the need for physical travel; (2) mobile clinics to serve West Virginia communities
with limited transportation options, so that essential healthcare services are brought
directly to those in need; (3) integrated care models partnering with transportation
organizations to facilitate diverse and flexible patient care settings (e.g., Uber,
Lyft); and (4) actions to respond to insufficient local healthcare workers to provide
primary and specialty care. By exploring these critical elements, the roundtable
will highlight innovative strategies and policy initiatives aimed at leveraging transportation
to enhance healthcare access and delivery to bridge transportation and care.
Roundtable 2: Country Roads to Prevention: Integrating Transportation for Enhanced
Population and Community Health in West Virginia:
“Country Road to Prevention”
Roundtable participants will delve into how transportation options for West Virginians,
or the lack of them, directly impact population and community health, particularly
through the lens of health promotion and disease prevention strategies. This discussion
will cover the pivotal role of transportation in facilitating primary prevention
efforts, such as enabling consistent access to health check-ups, screening tests,
and vaccinations for West Virginians. It will also explore the critical importance
of secondary prevention, where consistent and cost-effective transportation options
can be lifesaving by ensuring that individuals with existing health conditions receive
timely care and management, thus averting complications or worsening of their conditions.
By examining these aspects, the roundtable aims to shed light on policy options and
practical measures that can strengthen the link between transportation and healthcare,
ultimately supporting community-wide health and wellness for all West Virginians.
Roundtable 3: Bridging the Health Divide: The Intersection of Transportation and
Health Equity in West Virginia:
“Bridging the Health Divide” Roundtable participants
will explore how West Virginian's access to transportation serves as a fundamental
social determinant of health, impacting
health equity across various communities. The U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services defines social determinants of health as “the conditions and environments
in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age.” This roundtable
will examine the challenges of accessibility in rural areas of West Virginia, where
the scarcity of transportation options can severely limit access to essential healthcare
services, nutritious food, and physical activity opportunities, further entrenching
health disparities. Discussions will also focus on the critical role of reliable
transportation in economic stability, emphasizing its importance in securing employment
and, by extension, healthcare access for West Virginians. The roundtable will also
address the intersections of education, including literacy and digital literacy,
with the ability to navigate transportation and healthcare systems. By examining
these aspects, the roundtable aims to shed light on policy options and practical
measures to address social determinants through transportation solutions to overcome
these barriers and move towards greater health equity for all West Virginians.