3223.0: Monday, November 13, 2000 - 5:10 PM

Abstract #3448

District Health: A Model for Community Health Service and Education

District health services are focused on individual, family, and community health issues in a defined geographic area. In the district health (Community Care) model developed at Baylor University, undergraduate and graduate nursing students and faculty provide health services in a collaborative community health program.

Services include:

• Door-to-door outreach, follow-up, and case management provided by BSN students and lay health promoters (LHPs).
• LHP training provided by BSN students and LHPs.
• Primary care clinic staffed by physicians and nurse practitioners.
• Refugee screening and immunizations; and disease screening and health promotion provided by the county health department, staff, and students.
• Social work, chaplain, and related services are provided by volunteers.

Unique aspects of this Community Care program include

1. high level of health services delivered at an extraordinarily low cost by BSN students, LHPs, and volunteers,
2. the leadership role taken by students and faculty in program planning and implementation (e.g., LHP training, primary care services, disease detection/health promotion, and volunteer coordination),
3. integration of community health care with spiritual care services, and
4. use of this educational/services effort to develop the Baylor Refugee & Immigrant Health web site: www.baylor.edu/~Charles_Kemp/refugee_health.htm

The APHA paper

1. describes the integration of education and service exemplified in Baylor Community Care,
2. details (primarily through handouts) the process of developing such a program in nursing, medical, and related schools, and
3. provides preliminary data on the outcomes of this program (focus on preventable admission diagnoses). The presentation utilizes slides and handouts.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, participants in this session will be able to: 1. Identify limitations in health programs that focus on a particular problem, gender, age, or other limiting factor. 2. Describe a comprehensive district health model that is reponsive to community needs and incorporates student nurses as essential components of care. 3. Analyze selected outcomes (in high risk populations) of this district health program (e.g., > immunizaton rates, < emergency room visits for specific diagnoses, > utilization of health promotion practices). 4. Discuss application of this district health concept to other geographic areas, disciplines, and circumstances

Keywords: Access to Care, Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA