Access to good health care drives relocation decisions

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, May 1, 2004

If you look at some of the more successful vacation areas and retirement communities in the United States you usually will find a terrific community hospital.

Regional planners, developers and savvy consumers know that as people take vacations or permanently relocate, access to quality health care has become increasingly important in deciding where to go.

A new book by Portland researcher Bert Sperling and his partner Peter Sander includes a thorough section on health and health care in addition to in-depth analysis of crime, climate, local economy and jobs, cost of living, education, transportation, leisure, arts and culture and quality of life.

"Cities Ranked and Rated" (Wiley, $24.99) features an assortment of public and private sources widely used in demographic and market research. The book is a valuable tool for anyone considering buying a home in another state — especially seniors and aging baby boomers concerned about local health care.

"Much of this information is available for free," Sperling said. "But the hard part is knowing how to find it and how to assemble it into a practical and usable package."

In 1985, Sperling developed a software program, "Places, U.S.A.", which allowed consumers to enter their personal preferences to find their own "best place." Since then, Sperling’s concepts and methodology have been the basis of numerous studies regarding demographics, preferences and the selection of "Best Places" to live, work or retire.

"Cities Ranked and Rated" takes a two-pronged approach to examining health and health care. The first method considers hazards that cause health problems (air quality, water quality, pollen, cancer, stress and depression).

For example, cancer mortality per capita shows an age-weighted number of cancer deaths per 100,000 persons and years. This unusual but universally accepted measure, devised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accounts for both size and age of a population in determining the rate. For instance, areas with a high incidence of cancer among relatively younger people will get a higher (worse) figure than an area with the same incidence among a relatively older population. Areas range from a low of 114.1 in Provo-Orem, Utah to a high of 207.1 in Jersey City, N.J.

The second approach examines health care services and their costs. For example, the book includes data from the American Medical Association on the number of accredited physicians, generalists and specialists in an area per 100,000 residents plus the number of hospital beds, number of teaching hospitals, cost per doctor visit, cost per dental visit and cost per daily hospital room.

"The range of these costs is striking," Sperling said. "Hospital costs in most of California and the larger East Coast cities are over $1,200 per day, while 80 areas — mostly in the South and Midwest — are under $400 per day."

Dental visits range from $54 in Jackson, Miss., to $145 in Anchorage.

Sperling said that the number of hospital beds per capita, presented as a rate of number of beds per 100,000 residents, is a figure that’s declining in importance because of the in increase in outpatient services.

Nevertheless, the number of beds indicates the availability of hospital facilities.

Rochester, Minn., home of the Mayo Clinic, has the largest number of physicians per capita (1,814.5 per every 100,000 residents) followed by many college towns with teaching hospitals such as Iowa City, Iowa; and Columbia, Mo. Most cities – about 180 of the 400 metro areas studied — have between 150-250 physicians per 100,000 residents. Lowest rated are south Texas, the central valley of California and a variety of small Southern towns.

Just how many people actually think about moving? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly one in every seven citizens moves each year. These figures have remained surprisingly constant for the past several decades except for slight peaks during the 1990s and a valley between 2000-2001. Jobs, housing and personal situations (divorce, marriage) are the main reasons people move.

Not all seniors want, or are able, to remain in the same area, especially after the loss of a spouse. While some do choose to stay and "age in place" alone, others head to a community near an adult child. Many prefer to remain independent and choose a small, single-family home while others choose to try out an apartment — at least for the short term.

All will be interested in their health — and nearby health care facilities.

Tom Kelly hosts "Real Estate Today" from 11 a.m.-noon Sundays on 710 KIRO-AM. Send questions and comments to news@tomkelly.com.