Mary Ann Pettibon, CEO of Oak Orchard Health, was one of three CEOs selected by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to speak at a national conference. Her topic focused on how Oak Orchard Health used the American Rescue Plan (H8F) Funding to keep the community healthy during the pandemic.
At Oak Orchard Health (OOH), the pandemic had a big impact on patients, staff, and community health centers in general. In March 2020, patient visits were down 60% that first month and of those visits, 72% were telephone encounters. OOH also had to shut down its dental and vision departments unless there was an emergency. All of its departments (medical, dental, behavioral health, and vision) are now operating at full capacity, and continue to be very busy.
As part of its mission, OOH serves everyone including migrant and seasonal farmworkers and there were many barriers to getting health services to them. The newly arriving farmworkers lacked knowledge of COVID as well as a shortage of protective supplies such as masks. Farmworkers in rural areas lack internet access and computer equipment. This made education and communication that much more difficult.
There were many other barriers that Oak Orchard faced and continues to face. To hear Pettibon’s presentation in its entirety, go to https://tinyurl.com/bfa9r524.
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