Healthcare

Healthcare

Healthcare Access is a critical health need in Cowley County, identified through the 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment. The assessment highlighted the need to educate about health and wellness services to address a lack of knowledge within the community. The 2025-2028 Community Health Improvement Plan aims to expand healthcare access by reducing transportation barriers, optimizing care coordination, improving navigation of healthcare and safety-net systems, enhancing physician recruitment, and fostering talent retention. These collaborative efforts, spearheaded by organizations like the City-Cowley County Health Department, William Newton Hospital, and RISE Cowley, are designed to align with patient needs and improve the overall well-being of Cowley County residents.

Social Drivers of Health

Income & Poverty

15.2%

of the population is below the poverty line in 2024

An increase from 13.5% in the previous 3 years

Source: https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/health-data/kansas/cowley?year=2025

Children in Poverty

20%

of children in poverty

Compared to 13% in the state of Kansas and 16% nationally

Source: https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/health-data/kansas/cowley?year=2025

Children in Poverty

Education

59%

of adults (age 25-44) had completed some post-secondary education

Including vocational/technical schools, junior colleges, or four-year colleges. Measured between 2019- 2023. This is lower than both the Kansas and US profiles.

Source: https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/health-data/kansas/cowley?year=2025

Clinical, Mental & Behavioral Health Factors

Access to Primary Care

1 to 2,310

physician to resident ratio

The Cowley County primary care service coverage ratio is 1 provider to 2,310 residents as of 2023 (a county-based officed physician who is an MD or DO). 

Source: https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/health-data/kansas/cowley?year=2025

Access to Mental Health Care

1 to 580

provider to resident ratio

There is one mental health care provider for every 580 residents (compared to one for every 400 in Kansas and 300 in the US).

Source: https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/health-data/kansas/cowley?year=2025

Opioid Usage Among Medicare D Recipients

76.4%

of medicare Part D beneficiaries receiving an opioid day supply >10 Days

In Cowley County, seniors are increasingly utilizing opioids for extended periods. In 2022, the percentage of Medicare Part D beneficiaries receiving an opioid day supply >10 Days is 76.4%, an increase from 50.6% in the previous 3 years.

Source: https://www.kansashealthmatters.org/indicators/index/view? indicatorId=7647&localeId=957

Physical Activity

26%

of adults are considered sedentary

Cowley County is among the worst Kansas counties for adults who are considered sedentary, with 26%

Hypertension & Heart Failure Among Medicare Recipients

72%

Medicare hypertension

Medicare hypertension percentage is 72% which is higher than Kansas and US norms, while the heart failure percentage is on par with Kansas norms and better than other counties in the US.

Source: https://www.kansashealthmatters.org/index.php?module=indicators&controller=index&action=dashboard&id=83319366815456082&card=0&localeId=957

Our Strengths

Cowley County has numerous indicators of health-related strengths with significantly lower rates than Kansas and the US in the following areas: binge drinking and alcohol- associated driving deaths, sexually transmitted infections, and residential segregation.

The adult uninsured rate for Cowley County improved in 2022 to 9.2% (from 12.9% in the previous 3 years) and is better than the rural norm of only 15.26%. (Kansas Health Matters)

Initiatives

Goal 1: Improve accessibility of medical facilities and services by reducing transportation barriers.

Objective 1.1: Increase the utilization of non-emergency medical transportation services by Cowley County residents by 2027 from X to Y.

  • Strategy 1: Conduct an assessment of current infrastructure and transportation for non-emergency and emergency healthcare needs.
  • Strategy 2: Increase Cowley County Medicaid recipients’ use of non-emergency medical transportation services.
  • Strategy 3: Conduct an awareness campaign to inform the public about healthcare-related transportation resources through healthcare providers, local media, and community outreach programs.

Goal 2: Provide assistance for individuals experiencing health disparities to navigate the healthcare system and safety-net agencies.

Objective 2.1: Increase the number of CHWs employed or actively involved in healthcare and social service organizations in Cowley County from NUMBER to NUMBER by DATE.

  • Strategy 1: Increase Cowley County Medicaid recipients’ use of non-emergency medical transportation services.
  • Strategy 2: Conduct an awareness campaign to inform the public about healthcare-related transportation resources through healthcare providers, local media, and community outreach programs.

Objective 2.2 Increase the number of community referrals made through UniteUs by NUMBER or PERCENT by DATE.

  • Strategy 1: Explore the use of CHWs within a hospital setting.
  • Strategy 2: Evaluate additional capacity for CHWs within Cowley County.
  • Strategy 3: Reconvene Working Together group with a focus on energizing and coordinating Unite Us partners/users.
  • Strategy 4: Enhance the Unite Us network within Cowley County to increase referrals and active organizations.

Goal 3: Expand access to healthcare providers within Cowley County.

Objective 3.1: Increase the percent of Cowley County residents who have a person they think of as their personal doctor or healthcare provider from X to Y.

  • Strategy 1: Update the countywide physician labor force assessment to identify redundancies, gaps, and unmet needs in the medical provider workforce.
  • Strategy 2: Expand existing physician recruitment activities among healthcare providers.
  • Strategy 3: Optimize models (PCP & specialty care) across the county to expand access and better align with patient needs.
  • Strategy 4: Identify needs that could be met by expanded telehealth infrastructure and promote utilization for populations of focus.

Objective 3.2 Promote health care as a career path for students in Cowley County.

  • Strategy 1: Implement a “high school through medical school” initiative to retain talent.
  • Strategy 2: Expand healthcare career paths and programming among local schools.

Organizational Partners

Lead Organization

William Newton HospitalCowley county health department

additional partners

  • Area Colleges/Universities
  • Ark City Lions Club
  • Case Workers
  • Churches
  • Community Health Center in Cowley County (CHCCC)
  • Community Health Workers (CHWs)
  • Cowley County Council on Aging
  • Cowley County Economic Development (CCED)
  • Four County Mental Health (FCMH)
  • Healthcare entities: Clinic managers, providers, and receptionists
  • Helping Hands
  • K-State Research & Extension
  • Law enforcement / first responders
  • Libraries
  • Local AmeriCorps volunteer
  • Local Convention & Visitors Bureaus (CVBs)
  • Local Foundations (SCK Foundation, William Newton Healthcare Foundation, Legacy Regional Community Foundation)
  • Pharmacies
  • RISE Cowley
  • Rural Representatives (Dexter, Burden, Udall, Cambridge)
  • Safety-net agencies
  • School Districts/Nurses