South Georgia at the State Capitol

By State Sen. Greg Goggans

One of government’s fundamental roles is to assist its citizens. As a state senator, I strive every day to help the people who have decided to make our great state their home. Through the launching of initiatives such as GeorgiaHealthInfo.gov, Open.Ga.Gov and 1-800-Georgia, Georgians can access information needed to make decisions on issues essential to their everyday lives.

In an effort to give Georgians access to the latest healthcare quality, cost and health education information, the Department of Community Health (DCH), recently announced the launch of GeorgiaHealthInfo.gov as a resource to help Georgians make educated health decisions. The new website is being launched in two phases during 2009, with the first phase accessible now. It enables a person to search pharmacies by zip code to determine the best price for prescription drugs, offers quality assessments for medical facilities and provides easy access to the Mayo Clinic’s vast health education database. The Mayo database gives users access to prevention, wellness and disease management information plus cost and quality analysis for healthcare plans, prescription drugs, local hospitals and outpatient procedures.

The second phase of the website will include extensive provider profile data and user support for long-term care options. Both phases of the website will be fully operational by this summer.

Another new website, Open.Ga.Gov, began operation on January 1. Visitors to the site can easily locate information on state government salaries, travel expenditures, professional services expenditures, government contracts and comprehensive annual reports. Performance audits, program evaluations and special examinations released by the Department of Audits and Accounts over the last five years are also available. The information maintained on the site is updated annually.

Too often, I receive phone calls from constituents who are frustrated with being transferred numerous times in search of information. 1-800-Georgia is a toll free service now available for citizens who are seeking services but don’t know who to call. The call center will connect callers to the correct government agency with their first call. The phone service is supported by the state’s KnowledgeBase, which is updated daily and validated for accuracy quarterly by representatives from every state agency.

Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to continue representing the 7th senatorial district. It is an honor to serve you in the General Assembly. Happy New Year!

As always, I’d like to thank members of the Senate staff, who contribute regularly to my column. Please contact me in my office at the Capitol with your questions, comments or concerns.

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Sen. Greg Goggans represents the 7th Senate District, which includes Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Lanier, Pierce and Ware counties and a portion of Cook County.