Chronic Illness, Acute Answers

People hunger for information and resources that can assist them in making health care decisions for themselves and their loved ones. Those who seek out this information want a credible, trusted place to find answers. To address this, KMUW-FM and the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita (KUSM-W) present Chronic Illness, Acute Answers, a year-long project designed to improve access to health care resources, enhance discussion about health care within the community and reduce the sense of isolation felt by many who suffer from chronic conditions and those providing care for the chronically ill. This project is made possible by a financial grant through Sound Partners for Community Health, a national program of the Benton Foundation, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. These two foundations share the belief that alliances between broadcasters and community organizations can help equip people to participate in community problem-solving. For more information on this project and other Sound Partners initiatives across the country, visit www.soundpartners.org.

Chronic Illness, Acute Answers will serve as a clearinghouse by exploring 12 topics that will be addressed through a series of community discussions, public radio news feature reports and call-in programs, video-taped interviews with physicians, and an Internet website featuring a variety of resources. KUSM-W helped KMUW identify the topic areas and the Medical Center will convene a monthly community discussion--led by its physicians--based on each of the different subjects. KMUW will produce a monthly companion news report and six call-in programs during the course of the project.

Through an existing partnership between KUSM-W and the Family Health Channel, a locally operated television production and cable broadcast facility, television programming was produced and aired for the first six topics in the project. At the conclusion of the project, the partners will produce and distribute videotape and DVD copies of each video and audio component, plus companion discussion guides, to five area senior centers and 14 local libraries.

KMUW News Reports and Call-in Programs
Each month, usually on the morning of the Live & Learn community discussion, KMUW FM 89 will broadcast an in-depth news report on the featured topic, during NPR's Morning Edition. The report will feature background information on the specific chronic illness being discussed, including interviews with medical experts, sufferers, caregivers, and those providing services or resources in the community. And, throughout this year-long project, KMUW will produce call-in programs on the monthly topic. You'll have a chance to call in and ask questions of a panel, which will include physicians, caregivers and individuals suffering from chronic illness. They'll offer advice and resources for preventing chronic illness, or dealing with existing conditions.

Website Resources
In case you miss the Live & Learn discussions, the news reports or call-ins, we will be archiving that audio on this portion of KMUW's website. Check back often for new developments. Also, after the project is complete, we will produce VHS and DVD copies of the Family Health Channel cable programs and all the audio components, and distribute them to area Senior Centers and all branches of the Wichita Public Library system.

Medical Society of Sedgwick County -- Celebrating a Century of Care
The Sound Partners project is also receiving support from the Medical Society of Sedgwick County (MSSC). During 2003, the MSSC is celebrating its centennial, and is including "Chronic Illness, Acute Answers" as part of its featured activities. MSSC is supporting the monthly distribution of informational "Healthy Tips" which relate directly to the 12 topics of the Live & Learn series and the radio reports. Each month's healthy tip will appear in the Health & Fitness section of the Wichita Eagle. The Healthy Tips will also form the basis of the information and discussion sheets which will accompany the videos and DVDs for the Senior Centers and libraries. The project partners appreciate the generous support of the MSSC.