MHI Quarter 3 Report : 2022

As a clinical assistant professor at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, I have always loved watching our professionals grow and helping them advance their clinical knowledge. The interaction that MHI provides with other schools of health sciences affords a great opportunity to share and benefit from interprofessional experiences. While the goal of MHI is to increase access to care and address health care disparities, there are many other benefits that come from the interactions with our partners and each other. 

At one of our MHI migrant worker events in southern Minnesota, I had a rising second-year medical student working with me in our dental screening and treatment area. A patient came in with extreme erosion of her enamel which had a pattern consistent with a potential eating disorder. I was able to review the oral clinical findings, as well as demonstrate how to interview and interact with the patient.  We worked with the patient to help her understand the need for additional treatment outside of dentistry to address her condition. It was a great collaboration to show how we can and need to work together to ensure we are addressing the patient's overall health care needs.

These interprofessional experiences also allow the students to gain insight and a better understanding of what other health professions do. It can build ties and relationships that can encourage collaboration for the comprehensive care all patients deserve, which is especially needed in the communities MHI serves.  MHI is a wonderful example of the University of Minnesota putting teamwork into action.

Susan Buck-Wischmeier, DDS 
Director Outreach Division
School of Dentistry

Education and Learning Services

Interprofessional Health Course

We continue to offer numerous opportunities and love partnering with learners at all stages. The interprofessional course “Equity for Vulnerable Populations Through Interprofessional Mobile Health” has been officially approved so that trainees from all health science schools can learn and reflect about interprofessional work and walk the walk. Learn more about the course here.

New Publication: COVID-19 Outreach for Rural Populations

Students have presented at numerous national and regional conferences, and written papers, including this one just published by one of our early students, Hayley Sharma, MD: “A Medical-Design Collaboration in the Age of COVID-19: Mobile Health for Rural Populations.” It is open source and can be accessed here.

By the Numbers

2022: Quarter 3

From July to September, we had 16 events with our community partners. Below is the number of encounters for services we provide. 

Presentations and Publications

Through the partnerships with the Minnesota Department of Health, along with Global Medicine, Global Pediatrics, the UMN Medical Reserve Corps, and the Community-University Health Care Center, we were able to provide high-quality urgent care, infection control, mental health support and direct linkage to high-quality primary care for over 1,200 Afghan newcomers. The comprehensive model we have developed is serving as an example nationwide and received great feedback at the North American Refugee Health Conference in June 2022. In November, we will also present much of this work at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Annual Meeting. We extend gratitude to the students, medical residents, and provider volunteers who made these services possible.

• Developing a Sustainable Care Model for Newly Arrived Refugees- A Primary Care Approach
• Mobilizing Health Care for Newly Arrived Humanitarian Parolees in Minnesota: A Multidisciplinary, Multi-Agency Collaboration
• Afghan Evacuee Women’s Clinic - A Model for Culturally Inclusive Care

MHI Team Updates

Welcome Adrienne & Kimberly!

Adrienne Thayer, RN | she/her | Outreach Nurse
Adrienne has joined MHI with the role of doing outreach to people affected by substance use disorder. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from doing public health TB control and case management, detox nursing, and COVID-19 response service, while working in some of the busiest emergency departments in the Midwest. Her role includes community engagement alongside organizations, health centers, and professionals working in the area. In partnership with the City of Minneapolis, we will bring mobile health to community members that may not approach traditional health systems due to varying reasons and are at high risk of morbidity and mortality from the overdose epidemic. She will help form a mobile health bridge to link care between people that are using opiates with the goal of initiating addiction medicine treatment and linking to one of the high-quality primary care centers that provide long-term care.

Kimberly Clinch | she/her | Volunteer Coordinator
We have recently welcomed a new volunteer coordinator to our team. Kimberly will be assisting with event planning and may answer questions or messages sent to [email protected].

Events

Testing & Street Medicine Popup | Duluth
Harm Reduction Sisters, Midwest AIDS Training & Education Center, UMN Extension, RAAN, and Lutheran Social Service
Nov. 8

Power of People Leadership Institute Health Fair | Minneapolis
Power of People Leadership Institute, CAPI USA, and MHealth Fairview MINI Team
Nov. 19

World AIDS Day  | Minneapolis
Youth & AIDS Project, Rainbow Health, MHealth Fairview MINI Team, and others TBD
Dec. 1

World AIDS Day  | Duluth
Harm Reduction Sisters, Midwest AIDS Training & Education Center, UMN Extension, RAAN, and Lutheran Social Service
Dec. 1

Family Vaccine Day | St. Paul
Islamic Association of North America, Masjid Al-Ihsan, MHealth Fairview MINI Team
Dec. 9