Western Carolina Medical Society Foundation Inc

WC MEDICAL SOCIETY'S MISSION IS TO ADVOCATE FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES, ADDRESS ISSUES OF ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, FIGHT HEALTH INEQUITIES, AND PROMOTE WELLNESS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

FOUNDATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2021, PROJECT ACCESS (PA) PROGRAM, FACILITATED SERVICES TO OVER 2600 PATIENTS BY OVER 700 PHYSICIANS AND PROVIDERS WITH AN ESTIMATED VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY OF $7.7 MILLION. OF THOSE SERVED, 1,349 WERE NEW PATIENTS. PROJECT ACCESS COLLABORATED WITH HEALTH EQUITY COALITION TO INSURE WE ARE MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR COMMUNITIES. WCMS SCREENED 1064 PATIENTS FOR SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, AND 602 WERE REFERRED FOR ASSISTANCE. WCMS AND PARTNERS HELD 19 COVID VACCINE CLINICS AND VACCINATED 1,346 PEOPLE. PROJECT ACCESS CELEBRATED ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY.

THE HEALTHY HEALER PROGRAM CONTINUED OFFERING DISCOUNTED SERVICES SUCH AS THERAPY, COACHING, AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES BY PROVIDING 138 FREE THERAPY SESSIONS TO PHYSICIANS AND ASSISTANTS. WCMS INTERPRETER NETWORK (WIN) SCHEDULED 4,520 APPOINTMENTS HELPING LIMITED ENGLISH- PROFICIENT AND DEAF PATIENTS COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR PROVIDERS. PROVIDED INTERPRETERS AT COVID-19 TESTING SITES. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MAHEC, WIN HELD A 40-HOUR COURSE ON CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION (TRAINING FOR INTERPRETERS). WNC CRCSI DISTRIBUTED 2,329 FIT KITS AND PROVIDED 23 COLONOSCOPIES. THE CHARLES BLAIR HEALTH SCHOLAR FUND PROVIDED SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MINORITY YOUTH PURSUING HEALTH CAREERS. WCMS AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS TO SIX STUDENTS. THE DR. BRIAN LING MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND AWARDED TWO SCHOLARSHIP TO LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO ARE PURSUING A CAREER IN HEALTH CARE.

WORKED WITH NCMS TO PRESENT A VIRTUAL ADVOCACY EVENT. TOPICS INCLUDED TELEHEALTH PARITY, NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAMS, SCOPE OF PRACTICE, AND EXPANDING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR UNINSURED. RECRUITED AND RENEWED MEMBERSHIPS FOR 694 PHYSICIANS AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS ACROSS WNC. THE WCMSF ENDOWMENT PROVIDED AN $8,830 GRANT TO THE INSTITUTE FOR PREVENTIVE HEALTHCARE AND ADVOCACY TO HELP TRAIN, MOBILIZE AND UTILIZE EMBEDDED, TRUSTED COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS TO SUPPORT EARLY HOME-BASED COVID-19 TESTING AND ENCOURAGE QUARANTINE FOR SUSPECTED CASES UNTIL TEST RESULTS CAN BE OBTAINED. WCMS CONTINUED TO ENGAGE WITH AFIRCAN-AMERICAN COLLEAGUES AROUND THE IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED IN RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS IN WNC. WCMS HELD AFFINITY GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SUCH AS EARLY CAREER, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, WOMEN IN MEDICINE, EMERITUS, LIFESTYLE MEDICINE ADVANCEMENT GROUP, RURAL MEDICINE, AND BLACK PROVIDERS. SOME WERE VIRTUAL AND SOME WERE IN-PERSON.