Health Disparities Analysis

Improved Essays
The United States has a health problem: Nearly 70% of American adults are overweight or obese and half of all adults in the US have one or more chronic health conditions. The US invests more of our GDP on healthcare than any other country and is disproportionately ranked 37th by the World Health Organization compared to other national health care systems. How can we solve our problem and improve health in the US? Family practice and primary care physicians are the key to reversing these trends in health rather than specialists; only in primary care do physicians hold the responsibility of preventing disease and promoting health over the lifetime of patients. My interest in primary care is motivated by a passion for preventative medical education, …show more content…
To improve health care in these areas, many of the same principles outlined above can be implemented. I plan to settle in rural Minnesota and combat health disparities in a way that meets the specific needs of that particular community. Currently, I am working to reduce health disparities in Duluth through the role of Operations Director at HOPE Clinic. HOPE Clinic serves low-income people without access to health care who are often homeless and living at CHUM. My goal is to connect these patients with primary care services at Lake Superior Community Health Center, an affordable option with sliding-scale fees for care. In the future, I intend on training with RPAP to maximize my effectiveness in rural settings.
Together my passion for preventing chronic disease and experiences like RPAP will prepare me to reverse the negative trends in US healthcare in the rural community where I will live. Educating patients on pathways to health and collaborating with other organizations to develop wellness initiatives will ultimately reduce the cost of healthcare by decreasing the incidence of chronic disease. Primary care physicians must recognize the importance of their role in the longitudinal care of patients and capitalize on their ability to promote healthy lifestyles in their patients, I know I

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