By now, many of us have tinkered with artificial intelligence (AI) by chatting with a GPT. If you live in North Carolina and have renewed your vehicle registration online lately you interacted with an AI chat bot. At the very least you have heard about amazing things it is capable of or perhaps dark concerns surrounding its use and the potential for disruption.
You're Invited: Opioid Use and Opioid Use Disorder Online Learning - View any or all of the 3 Pre-recorded modules available online at your own pace, for just $20 per session!
16th Annual “One Community in Recovery” Conference Healing Together: Building Stronger Communities
Join us for this FREE Educational Support Program Designed Specifically for Rural Nursing in NC.
Due to the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene on Western NC, the NC AHEC Nurse Council has decided to reschedule the 7th Annual Statewide AHEC Celebration for Rural Nursing Conference. Information details for the rescheduled date will be sent separately. Alternatively, we are hosting this free educational support program for rural health nurses still in honor of the upcoming National Rural Health Day in November.
Thursday, November 14, 2024 | 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Livestream Webinar
REGISTER NOW - FOR FREE
As our healthcare providers in our communities are focusing on disaster relief and resiliency, they face these many challenging questions in bringing support to those suffering PTSD while trying to rebuild a new future:
- What do you say to someone who has lost everything?
- What resources are available for survivors?
- How can you distinguish between a normal post-disaster reaction and a serious mental health issue?
- What are the best ways to support children and other vulnerable populations?
Rural healthcare professionals are the heart of your communities and will play a crucial role in helping the people of North Carolina recover from the devastation of Hurricane Helene. The road to recovery after a catastrophic natural disaster is long, and survivors will need support for years to come. This session, led by our faculty of disaster recovery mental health professionals, will equip you with the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges of disaster response as you help communities rebuild.
Empowering more healthcare professionals, particularly rural nurses, to be trained and ready to respond in times of disaster will be an invaluable asset to our local communities, state, nation, and world. Topic specific focus on hurricane relief for NC will be covered that is reflective of both eastern and western experiences in our state.
Additionally, we will offer optional breakout sessions focused on group listening, networking support, and identifying best practices to address the current disaster support needs of the state.
Objectives
- Describe the impacts of disasters on the brain and body.
- Assess and triage the needs of survivors.
- Demonstrate effective techniques for stabilization after disasters.
- Provide support to special populations, such as children and individuals with special needs.
- Explain the orientation for Disaster Mental Health (DMH) response.
- Implement basic skills required for deployment in a DMH role.
- Distinguish variable disaster response in diverse communities.
In this 50th anniversary special episode of the Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina podcast, we take a moment to connect with former colleagues, faculty, and partners to reflect on the many ways in which Northwest AHEC has impacted the quality of health and healthcare education in the 17-county region of Northwest North Carolina over the past 50 years.
Professionals need to learn and practice a calm and encouraging approach during a crisis. The theoretical approach and specific techniques of crisis counseling assessment and treatment can readily be integrated into the professional’s overall framework. Suggestions on beneficial approaches and techniques are provided.
The 24th annual Share the Health Fair, sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the Northwest Area Health Education Center, will be held this Saturday, Nov. 2. More than 10 free screenings, tests and other health-related services will be available to the public.
This free event will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Wake Forest Baptist’s Downtown Health Plaza, located at 1200 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. in Winston-Salem. The event is open to all adults and children regardless of insurance coverage, income level or immigration status. There will be several children-focused stations as well as childcare for families who attend.
Interested individuals can walk-in the day of and register at the event. Spanish-language interpreters will be available.
A variety of vaccinations and screenings will be offered, including:
- Bone density screening
- Flu vaccinations
- Glaucoma and vision testing
- Glucose and cholesterol testing
- Lung function testing
- Mental health and memory screenings
- Sexually transmitted infection screening
- Skin screenings
- Strength and balance testing
A comprehensive team of physicians and specialists will be present, along with medical students, PA students, technicians and other health care professionals. Most test and screening results will be immediately provided to the participants as well as educational materials to help individuals understand what results mean. Participants will also be provided with the option to discuss any abnormal findings or other health concerns with one of the Wake Forest Baptist physicians on-site.
For those who require follow-up care, referrals will be provided to either the Downtown Health Plaza or other free, local community organizations and clinics that provide the needed services on a regular basis.
“As a medical student, it is so important to get out into our community and take the opportunity to educate our neighbors about healthy lifestyle changes to help them improve their overall health and wellbeing,” said Elsa Katarina Acosta, third-year medical student at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “The goal of the health fair is to address the needs of underserved populations and create healthy lifestyles for generations to come. This is one small way to give back and I am thankful to be part of it.”
There will be representatives on-site to provide consultations regarding health insurance and legal resources, living wills and advance health care directives. Participants will also receive a goody bag while supplies last with essential items, such as toothbrushes, soap and fresh produce.
Pharmacy Week is celebrated from October 20-26. This week is dedicated to National Pharmacy Week, a time to honor and appreciate the crucial contributions pharmacists and pharmacy technicians make to patient care.
How is conflict helpful with business operations and clinical care? What is this lagging indicator of quality care? How is AI impacting the practice of medicine? What are the key traits for leadership in health care system? What happens when you self diagnose your cancer with a 10-20% chance of survival?
A study exploring the transformative effects of the Community Plunge, an educational
program at Wake Forest University School of Medicine (WFUSOM), on healthcare delivery,
community engagement, and trainee perspectives was recently published in the Journal of
Clinical and Translational Science. Led by Dr. Christopher A. Jones of Northwest AHEC, the
study highlights the broader context of health outcomes, where clinical care accounts for
only 20%, emphasizing the critical role of social determinants of health (SDOH) and
individual behaviors in shaping the remaining 80%.
