10/31/18 – 5:06 A.M.

Health officials from around northwest Ohio met in Findlay Tuesday to talk about improving health outcomes in the region. Representatives of the Ohio Department of Health and the Columbus-based Health Policy Institute of Ohio hosted a meeting at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts to give an update on the upcoming 2019 State Health Assessment. They also talked about the next State Health Improvement Plan, which will launch in 2020.

Amy Bush Stevens is the vice president for public and prevention policy at the Health Policy Institute of Ohio. She says the state needs to improve. In 2015, 16.5 percent of Ohioans were in fair or poor health. The number is now 18.9 percent statewide, and 17.1 percent in northwestern Ohio

Premature deaths due to overdoses are up all across the state as well.

Bush Stevens said the purpose of Tuesday’s event was to “get out of Columbus” and get feedback from other regions. She says rural regions have fewer safety issues, but also transportation challenges when it comes to accessing healthcare.

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