Population Based Visit - Surry County Health Department

Dobson, NC

The Surry County Health Department is vital to the well being of the residents of Surry County. I had no idea how busy the Surry County Health Department would be. In my visit to the Surry County Health Department I gained a lot of respect for how well run the organization is given the shear volume of people that are seen there. The influences that the organization has on the rural health population are great. The Surry County Health Department is the only resource that a big part of the county population can afford. A lot of the people seen at the Surry County Health Department are immigrants that otherwise would not have alternative options for affordable healthcare. Most of the people seen at the health department have little or no insurance.

THEIR MISSION1
The mission of the Surry County Health & Nutrition Center is to protectand promote personal, family and community health; to insure a safe and healthy environment; and to prevent or control the incidence and spread of disease.

THEIR VISION1
A healthy and educated community where families are allowed to reach their full potential in a safe and clean environment.

Current Health Center Services1

* Chronic Disease and Cancer Screening and Diabetes Management and Education through Adult Health
* Child Care Health Consultant; Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Clinic; Pediatric Clinic - sick and well visits - through the Child Health Program
* Communicable Disease surveillance and investigation including AIDS Control Program & HIV testing and Sexually Transmitted Disease Program
* Environmental Health, including Animal Control; Restaurant, day care and residential facility inspections; Waste system permits and site evaluations; and Water sampling
* Family Care Coordination including Child Service Coordination, Maternity Care Coordination, Family Planning and Breast and Cervical Cancer Program including, follow-up of abnormal PAP Smears using Colposcopy, through Women's Preventive Health
* Health Education and Promotion, including Infant Mortality
* Immunizations
* Maternal Outreach Services and Postpartum and Newborn Home Visits
* Migrant Farmworker Health Program
* Nutrition counseling and the WIC (Women, Infants & Children) supplemental food program
* School Health Services
* Senior Services including Chore/Respite Program, Friends of Seniors and Home Health
* Vital Records - Birth & Death Certificates

The department that I spent time in is the Family Care Coordination department. The people in this department were so busy it reminded me of a beehive with all of the workers being like worker bees. They have a tremendous workload. The people in this department are definitely in the performing stage of teamwork. These folks have worked together for quite some time and they really have their routines down pat. They know the state mandated guidelines that they must work within and adhere strictly to those guidelines.


1 (2007). Surry County Health and Nutrition Center. Retrieved November 17, 2007 from http://www.surry.com/aboutus.html