Press Release: Go Local Kansas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Amy Ritterskamp
Dykes Library
The University of Kansas Medical Center
Phone: (913) 588-7168
Fax: (913) 588-8675
aritterskamp@kumc.edu


New website makes it easier to find health care services in your neighborhood: Go Local Kansas


Kansas City, Kansas - A new web site makes finding health care services faster and simpler for Kansans.

Go Local Kansas (www.golocalkansas.org) launched on January 29th. Consumers can search by location, type of facility, or a specific disease or condition. Contact information for health care providers such as hospitals, county health departments, support groups, nursing homes, and community clinics from all counties in Kansas will be available.

Librarians from Dykes Library at The University of Kansas Medical Center, the State Library of Kansas, public libraries and the Kansas Regents libraries contributed to the web site. Project Director, Amy Ritterskamp says the statewide effort by public libraries is an important part of the project. "This wasn't the easiest way to develop the web site, but it was the right way". Karen Cole, Director of Dykes Medical Library grew up in WaKeeney, Kansas. She wants people to know Go Local Kansas is for all Kansans. "Sometimes people in central and western Kansas are skeptical about city people coming in and telling them what’s good for them. I’m from western Kansas. We’re going to do this the right way, with input from the entire state."

All records on Go Local Kansas will be reviewed once a year to make sure they are current and accurate.

In a typical day, nearly one half of the people who use the Internet will use a search engine to find information according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Ritterskamp says using a search engine isn't always the best way to find information. "If you’re trying to find a health care provider to help you manage pain, for instance, it will just take a couple of clicks in Go Local Kansas to find phone numbers and addresses of a variety of health care providers that provide services related to pain." Ritterskamp says another thing consumers will appreciate about the web site is the lack of ads. "If the resource meets our criteria to be included, we include it."

Karen Cole, Director of A.R. Dykes Library says Go Local Kansas will be a real benefit to families. "This site is great for people who are looking for health care services for a relative in another part of the state."

Governor Kathleen Sebelius declared January 29th, 2009 Go Local Kansas Day and encourages residents to visit the site "today and every day in 2009 to locate health resources in their community".

Go Local is an initiative by the National Library of Medicine, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, and is highly integrated with MedlinePlus.gov, their patient information web site. Currently 26 states have active Go Local sites with more in development.

Go Local Kansas is part of a statewide health information initiative encouraging Kansans to take charge of their health. Kansas Health Online (www.kansashealthonline.org), a health information web site launched last year sponsored by the Kansas Health Policy Authority and developed by biomedical librarians at Dykes Library, includes tools and tips to make healthy lifestyle decisions, information on diseases and conditions, and a guide to health policy in Kansas.

Governor Kathleen Sebelius signing the proclamation declaring January 29th, 2009, Go Local Kansas Day and encouraging residents to visit the site "today and every day in 2009 to locate health resources in their community".