When I first came into Crossroad, I had a vague understanding of what the term “community health” truly meant. By definition, it is the field of medical and clinical sciences that focuses on the maintenance, protection, and improvement of the health status among population groups and communities. With such a dense term and accounting for the various disparities patients face, (highlighted by the social determinants of health) I was unsure of how community health looks like in the scope of patient care.
As a second rotation VIP, I have been able to gain a better understanding of the work Crossroad Health Center does through my experience with obtaining patient availability in person and over the phone, sending reminder calls, learning about special cases through health providers, etc. All of these experiences have provided me with various opportunities to reflect on the role I want to play as an aspiring healthcare provider as well as create my own working definition of what community health means to me.
I have had a unique experience with every referral I have scheduled so far. Each referral has allowed me to contact different professionals within healthcare, learn about new diseases/tests/medical terminology, and take into account different circumstances the patient may face. These all have made it apparent that healthcare is not one-size-fits-all, in fact, it should not be.
To me, community health is taking into account that each community is different as well as the fact that each patient may belong in many different communities. Understanding the nuances between people and populations will help increase trust among people and the healthcare system, which in return improves the health status across various communities. Being able to create my own working definition of community health has been one of my most valuable takeaways from being a VIP at Crossroad Health Center.
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