Urban Communities, Clinics & Committees - A Model for Addressing Health Disparities and Building Clinician Community Engagement

Our Ohio State's Care Point East (CPE) clinic and Near East Health Advisory Committee (NEHAC) is a partnership that actively demonstrates how the principles of community engagement are used to collaboratively address major health disparities. The Near East Community of Columbus is an underserved community with many health disparities. Monthly meetings allow community leaders and physician trainees to learn firsthand about both historic and novel challenges and bring fresh perspective as to why they are important and how they can be addressed. An active consortium allows for shared knowledge of the many resources available for patients as well as community leaders. Young physicians can impact the community in which they practice, all while obtaining a unique experience of community engagement and building leadership skills. Tim Anderson, co-chair of NEHAC, published author and founder of the In My Backyard nonprofit, has focused much of his time on the importance of addressing health disparities and educating physicians who serve inner city communities on why and just how they can be a part of the solution. He has developed the DRIVE Engagement for clinicians. The components are: develop community health leaders; reaffirm patient trust through community involvement; identify patient barriers; identify community resources; improve patient compliance; value community health assets; and enhance community health wellness initiatives through active participation and promotion. Through emphasis on these principles, clinicians can have a basis for the importance of community engagement. In addition, we will discuss common barriers to community engagement and strategies to build physician capacity, especially for young clinicians and via the NEHAC meetings. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Internal Medicine Residency's primary care track, and now categorical track, offer young physicians the opportunity to train as clinicians in an inner-city clinic of Care Point East, located in the Near East Community. Our partnership with the NEHAC offers a unique training opportunity outside of the clinic, to grow in the DRIVE principles as well as the principles of awareness, integration, stewardship and advocacy.AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Jannel Lee-Allen, Clinical Instructor Housestaff, Internal Medicine, jannel.lee-Allen@osumc.edu (Corresponding Author); Tim Anderson, Co-Chair, NEHAC.Near East Community of Columbus is an under-served, urban community of more than 20,000 residents with many nonprofit, governmental and university partners. It has, like many inner-city communities, suffered from a history of disparities, especially health disparities. Learn about these disparities and how an active model of community consortium are addressing these disparities, while simultaneously garnering physician trainee community engagement and leadership