Sustaining Health Equity Integrating Medical & Oral Health Through Outstanding Collaborations & Partnerships
Prior to the pandemic, Clatsop County Public Health Department did not have a strong collaboration with local health care systems and community-based organizations. Clatsop County created a task force which included members of our health care facilities, social service agencies and behavioral healthcare, to help with mass vaccine clinics, testing, and monoclonal antibody clinics. Medical Team International was utilized to help vaccinate in our rural communities. Dental clinics were held in conjunction with vaccine clinics and the need for dental care was quickly identified. The Covid Task Force has developed into a newly formed Clatsop County Rural Healthcare Coalition to address health needs as identified in the recent Community Health Assessment. Clatsop County Public Health and MTI’s partnership creates a Full-service delivery model regarding social determinants of health. Clinics are planned and executed leaving patients with a plethora of information/treatment, creating knowledge for self-advocating and equity in health when connections back into the system occur. Clatsop County Department of Public Health worked with their community partners to create sustainable funding for dental services and to increase the delivery of services offered at dental clinics. The innovation and collaboration of physical and oral health side by side for patient visits created a community of invested patients and strategic communication across partnerships. Learning Objectives: Assembling the Team/Collaboration-Strategic Partnerships and Alliances-true innovation getting the right players at the table. Data Collection/Information Sharing, starting with an end in mind (discuss goal alignment. Outreach and Capacity Building –More community events, more statewide partnerships initiated, and patients served.
Jill Ewanchuk, Oregon Program Manager, Medical Teams International; Lisa McLean, RN, Nursing Supervisor, Providence Seaside North Coast Clinics