As the academic year and Intro to Rural Medicine come to an end, I find that I have learned a great deal about medicine in Wayne County. I grew up in Wayne County and realized at a young age how difficult it can be to travel to receive healthcare. However, there was much that I did not know about Wayne County's healthcare prior to the RMED blog and the research it entailed. In the process, I found that while Wayne County ranked very poorly in terms of morbidity in NYS, there are a number of programs that indicate progress in bettering the delivery of healthcare.
I was surprised to learn about NY Connects, a program which improves access to healthcare, has reached Wayne County. Furthermore, the Public Health department has some great programs in place for smoking awareness and education. There is also a highly comprehensive substance abuse program in place. It seems though, that Wayne County still needs to improve their health to reduce morbidity.
Having lived in Wayne County for so long, I know that there is much to offer in terms of culture and history. However, I think that access to care will remain a problem. I think that one of the most important things a physician can offer, in addition to providing the best care, is to work in the community to improve access. Technology will be one of the greatest tools in the future for allowing patients access to their information and care, and it is imperative that technology grow in rural areas like Wayne County.
I was surprised to learn about NY Connects, a program which improves access to healthcare, has reached Wayne County. Furthermore, the Public Health department has some great programs in place for smoking awareness and education. There is also a highly comprehensive substance abuse program in place. It seems though, that Wayne County still needs to improve their health to reduce morbidity.
Having lived in Wayne County for so long, I know that there is much to offer in terms of culture and history. However, I think that access to care will remain a problem. I think that one of the most important things a physician can offer, in addition to providing the best care, is to work in the community to improve access. Technology will be one of the greatest tools in the future for allowing patients access to their information and care, and it is imperative that technology grow in rural areas like Wayne County.
I think that this project was a really great experience for you Rachel. It is really neat to be able to study the healthcare system of the county that you grew up in. It sounds like you have gained some very valuable insight and have probably made connections within Wayne County along the way. I wonder if you can see yourself going back to Wayne county to live and work and better the healthcare system there.
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