Wouldn't it bother you if, as a physician, most of your adult patients suffered from chronic health problems that were the byproduct of poor diets and unhealthy lifestyle choices?
It bothered Janice Miller, D.O., so much that she decided to nip the problem in the bud and do something about it.
Last July, she relocated her family practice clinic to Riverside High School, a brand new "community school" in Quincy, West Virginia. In addition to her clinic, the school features several other "novel" touches, including branches of a local bank and county library.
"By the time adult patients come to me for treatment, the chances of changing bad behaviors are slim," asserts Dr. Miller, a 1990 graduate of WVSOM. "What better way to avoid problems later in life than never start bad habits to begin with?" she asks.
While parents will take their babies and toddlers for checkups, and older adults and seniors visit their doctor regularly, Miller reasons that teenagers often fall through the cracks.
"Many of them do not drive yet and must rely on their parents or some
other person to get them to a doctor. Therefore, this particular age group doesn't come in for wellness exams like they should," Miller explains.
"With the clinic being located or attached to the school, the students simply walk over to their appointment, then walk back to their class, missing only a minimal amount of school. That's what access is all about," she notes.
"They can let their teacher know that they have an appointment that has been scheduled for a wellness exam or illness, and we will give them an automatic doctor's excuse for that visit."
Although her approach to reaching this age group is rather extraordinary, it might become the newest trend because it makes such sense. Schools are often the center of a community, especially in rural areas of the country. Clinics could be located at schools, continue servicing their regular patients, but also add an adolescent patient population by making access so simple, Miller suggests.
Dr. Miller is quick to point out there have been some misconceptions about her clinic among her existing patients, the community at large, and even the school's administrators.
"We are not replacing the school nurse. There is still someone at (the high school) who will see students for colds, fevers, sprains and other everyday problems," she explains. "We are a just a normal clinic with a normal patient base that just happens to be located in a high school."
Miller has also had to reassure her other patients ó many of whom come from small communities in and around eastern Kanawha County ó that they are still a very important part of her practice, and their care will not be affected by the move to the school location.
But those few problems aside, Miller is hopeful that the clinic's location and her holistic approach to health care can combine to make a real difference for her patients.
"I do believe that because of my osteopathic philosophy, I focus on what my patients are telling me ó not only about their chief complaint, but about their lives. I can use all this information to help them figure out certain changes that could improve their life or immediate situation," Miller says. "To me, this is the holistic approach."
Her goal is to add yet another dimension to this approach by attracting high school students to her clinic with a focus on wellness and prevention.
"Most of my adult patients are very unhealthy. Hopefully this location will bring in some new, young patients. If I'm able to establish a good rapport with these teens, I can help them down the road to healthier lifestyles."
Contact:
Jeffery D. Cobb
The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
[email protected]
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