Health Beyond Host Sites

An important part of our training and education this year has occurred at outside service events, lectures, and visits to public health sites around the city. These events allow us to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the many parts that make up the public health system of Philadelphia. Understanding our small, but important role in the system helps us to better serve our patients and inspires us to work for greater systematic changes.

In February, members had the unique opportunity to visit the Medical Examiner’s Office (MEO) here in Philadelphia. The MEO is responsible for providing comprehensive death investigations for residents of Philadelphia. We were able to meet with the director, tour the facility, and learn about the day-to-day operations of each department. Members were able to ask questions and get an up-close look at how the facility runs. Realizing that organizations such as the MEO exist and cooperate with health facilities around the city was an eye-opening experience.

In March we were given the opportunity to learn about public health and mass incarceration through a visit to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, the largest correctional facility in Philadelphia. The chief of medical operations met with members to provide an overview of facility statistics and logistics before sending members off in groups to tour different portions of the facility. Being the National Health Corps, we spent quite a bit of time talking with the medical staff learning about the services they provide, the most frequent health concerns in prisons, and what challenges exist within the system. Hearing how frequently individuals are readmitted, many of us walked away from the experience jarred. Personally, the experience made me question the systematic oppression and structural violence that seem to create these cycles of readmittance. Clearly a public health crisis, we are now aware and armed with motivation to make positive change. One such way members have been staying engaged in social justice-based service is by volunteering with Books through Bars, an organization that sends books to prisoners in response to letters requesting them. Providing books restores a sense of humanity while also increasing literacy and educational capacity for inmates.

Towards the end of March, I attended “Stolen Dollars and Sense: Breaking the Silence of Human Trafficking”, a conference presented by Nationalities Service Center and the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice. The conference focused on the devastating effects of human trafficking in the United States, citing examples right here in Philadelphia. Hearing from lawyers, social workers, and former victims themselves, I gained a new perspective on the challenges surrounding the invisibility of vulnerable populations.

These are just a few examples of opportunities members have taken to learn and grow professionally. The emerging theme of these events is that we leave with a new perspective and an increased sense of urgency to improve public health. For me, this changed perspective creates empathy, which in turn affects how I interact with patients at my host site. These opportunities inspire me to be a more active advocate for my patients, which is a skill I will carry with me beyond my year of service. 
 

This blog post was written by NHC Philadelphia member Emily Kehoe.
Emily serves as a Patient Advocate at Philadelphia Department of Public Health-Ambulatory Health Services: Health Center 3.