Community Impact & Enrichment
Community care comes first. Our partnerships, community outreach, educational programs and the efforts of our graduates improve the health and well-being of citizens in Ohio and in communities across the nation, especially where care is needed most.
Clinics Provide for the Community
The Heritage College Community Clinics offered services in eight counties this year, including 83 primary care clinics and 10 diabetes clinics.
In total 460 clinical encounters took place with patients who were uninsured or underinsured in the region. These visits took place in both the stationary Heritage Community Clinic and aboard the mobile health units, which traveled 2,606 miles in the last year.
The Women’s Health clinics remained a cornerstone of the healthcare outreach in the region, with a total of 259 clinical encounters in 2021-22. One patient at the clinic said, “Having this program to turn to for my female care eases my mind as I am a breast cancer survivor with no health insurance.”
The health screening clinics provide support to individuals and employers who are seeking to improve health. Last year the clinics provided cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose screenings to 386 people for a value of $58,865. The clinics partner closely with local school districts to provide physicals to bus drivers at a low cost, with 443 drivers having received a physical last year. The partnership also supports school nurses to assist them with hearing and vision screenings for K-12 populations – a total of 5,854 in the last year.
Social Medicine Meets Law Enforcement
Jackie Wolf, Ph.D., professor of social medicine, led a group of historians who designed and delivered a five-week course, “History of Race and Racism in the United States,” for the Athens City Police Department and the Ohio University Police Department. Wolf organized the group at the request of the Chiefs of Police of the APD and OUPD. All officers in both departments were required to take the course during the summer of 2021.
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Schools across Southeast Ohio received free vision and hearing screenings with assistance from Heritage College's Community Health Programs. In total, 5,702 vision screenings and 4,035 hearing screenings were provided.
Rural and Urban Scholars Pathways Enrolls New Students
The Rural and Urban Scholars Pathways program enrolled 45 new students for the 2021-22 program year, bringing total enrollment to 134 students. The unique program works to prepare future physicians to practice in medically underserved communities. In 2021-22, RUSP had a 100% retention rate. In total RUSP students represent 13.2% of the student body of Heritage College. All 36 RUSP 2022 graduates matched, with 75% matching in Ohio.
CAT Camp Promotes Inclusivity, Fun for Kids with Type 1 Diabetes
CAT Camp was finally back in Athens county this year from June 13-15. Designed for children with Type 1 diabetes between the ages of 8 and 17, the camp was led by Amber Healy, D.O. ('09), associate clinical professor of specialty medicine at Heritage College. The goal of the camp is to help campers build self-esteem, confidence and independence in their diabetes management. 12 campers attended from 10 different counties in Ohio and West Virginia this year. CAT Camp is the first and only diabetes day camp in southeast Ohio.