AMC's Public Health Initiative

http://www.amccares.org/about-us/about-adirondack-health-leadership/community-health.html?textsize=medium

In response to the New York State Department of Health's initiative to improve the collective health of all New Yorker's, the Adirondack Medical Center participated in two regional health assessment initiatives. The Adirondack Rural Health Network (ARHN) facilitated a forum where community partners from neighboring counties could collaborate to share and provide resources for the development of their respective health assessments and community service plans. The ARHN facilitated this initiative by preparing a collection and analysis of data regarding the health issues and needs in the following six counties: Essex, Fulton, Hamilton, Saratoga, Warren and Washington. This report was entitled "Building a Healthy Community" and included a compilation of health care data and analysis to assess the health status of the residents and individual counties; a Local Health Department's Community Health Assessment and the hospitals' Community Service Plans.

I am glad to see that the ARHN took the lead on this initiative to better the community's health.  I would like to believe that there were other collaborative efforts going on within local communities to work towards this goal before the impetus was provided by the Commissioner of Health's statewide mission to improve the health of all New Yorker's. There is lots of room for a physician working in a small, rural community to make a difference. As Dr. Adachi-Mejia told us, local physician's within rural communities assume great responsibility and respect given their unique position within a small-town setting. Therefore, I would plan to use this unique position to improve my community's overall health and well-being. I think that this initiative can start on an even smaller scale with just one physician. By encouraging healthy lifestyle habits and positive behavioral changes, one physician's impact can be quite large in a rural community. Because of the rural practitioner's unique position in a small, close community, he/she is able to develop meaningful relationships with his/her patients and their families. One small impact on just one patient could have a ripple effect that could ultimately spread to the rest of the community. I think that the rural physician's responsibility is to inspire his/her patient's to lead a healthy and happy life. It is the responsibility of the rural physician to foster this notion within the community to improve the collective health and well-being of the community at large.

Adirondack Region Medical Home Pilot

http://www.adkmedicalhome.org/home/

I found a great resource related to the practitioner-patient relationship in and around Essex County. The Adirondack Region Medical Home Pilot is a collaborative effort by health care providers and insurers to transform the healthcare delivery system to one that is amenable to better quality of care, better access and communication in the rural Upstate New York area. Several primary care practices of Essex County participate in this program as part of the Northern Adirondack Pod. Other practices of the Lake George pod and Tri-Lakes pod participate as well to form a cohesive team-based approach to medical care with the primary care physician in the lead. This model of healthcare emphasizes several goals that I feel are most important in a practitioner-patient relationship. The program values preventative care, enhanced management of chronic conditions and close relationships between patients and primary care providers. This model ensures that patients have better communication with their physicians as patients can expect to hear more often and more regularly from their doctor's office. Furthermore, this program specifically targets those with chronic conditions (ie: diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, asthma) by emphasizing frequent communication to ensure that an effective plan of care is followed and managed. In addition, the primary care   physician takes the lead and coordinates the care of these patients if they need to be hospitalized or need to see a specialist.

I think that this sounds like an ideal model and a great way to improve the relationship between the physician and patient. I think that the lack of cohesion in a patient's overall care is the greatest downfall of today's healthcare delivery system. This program ensures that the primary care physician is involved in all aspects of the patient's care. This consistency will result in an improved quality of care. The model allows the relationship between patient and physician to strengthen. I feel that this relationship builds the foundation for any successful healthcare model.

         St. Joseph's Addiction Treatment and Recovery Center

                                                     http://www.stjoestreatment.org/ 


          St. Joseph's is a unique addiction treatment and recovery center located in Saranac Lake, New York. This facility was founded in 1971 and has since served over 12,000 individuals struggling to overcome drug and chemical addiction. It appears to be a great resource that I would refer my patients to. Their approach to addiction is incredibly thorough and unique. The treatment plan appears to be very comprehensive and covers many aspects of addiction from the concept of disease, to relapse prevention and spirituality. Although it was founded by Franciscan Friars, it is a welcoming environment to all. St. Joseph's believes that spirituality plays an important role in recovery, whether one is religious, atheist or agnostic. This philosophy of St. Joseph's makes the facility and treatment program very different from others. I think that fostering an affirming relationships with one's self, others and a higher power of one's personal understanding is a great approach to treating addiction and preventing relapse. It does not just target the disease or incidence, but  promotes a new way of living that is not conducive to alcohol and chemical abuse. In addition, I think it is invaluable to truly assess one's personal characteristics, habits and relationships with others as many problems in this area of our life drive people to seek solace in the form of alcohol and drugs.

Hurricane Irene's Fallout May Trigger Allergies. abc news

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/hurricane-irene-fallout-trigger-allergies/story?id=14435658#.UEz-842PXNt

Last year, the entire East Coast was affected by the destructive forces of Hurricane Irene. Not usually accustomed to tropical storms or hurricanes, the northeastern part of the country has been dealing with the residual effects to this day. My study county of Essex, NY encompassing the Adirondacks suffered extensive damage. Many rivers flooded, washing out bridges, roads and homes. Due to the extensive residual water damage, the prevalence of mold has been a recent public health concern in the Essex County area. The local firemen, rescue workers and other relief volunteers are among those most severely impacted. These people responsible the role of clean-up were exposed to great amounts of dust and mold that included clearing and removing damaged property whereby microscopic mold was released into the air. This had led to the rise of respiratory illness within this population.

Furthermore, it is not just the rescue workers and other volunteers who have suffered from exposure to mold . Those people whose homes were damaged by water have been exposed to the high levels of mold that continue to proliferate within their houses. This respiratory illness has been further exasperated by a high pollen count. The flooded water has fed the water table and enhanced the growing conditions for ragweed and other allergens. The ABC news story that I found brings this public health hazard to light  in areas hard hit by Hurricane Katrina, particularly areas such as Essex County that are unaccustomed to hurricanes and other tropical storms.