Reflections of Rural Health in North Carolina

The story of the original Orange Chatham Comprehensive Health Services-now known as Piedmont Health Services calls to mind the above stated scripture as well as a spiritual that declares: “Look Where He Brought Me From”. It is the story of the beginning of an unlikely addition to the existing Health Care System in North Carolina to the outpatient Community Health Care model of Family Doctors, Public Health Departments, Public and Private Clinics. Health Care of quality has historically eluded many of the population that these clinics serve. This delivery system was a gleam of light in the lives of many persons who were falling through the cracks of the existing system due to lack of access funds to pay for access, lack of unreliable transportation and/or availability of services. This program combined agencies of practicing health professionals, students in health professions (Medicine, Nursing, Social Work, Psychology, Health Education, Public Health, Dentistry, Nutrition, and others) in a collaborative effort to meet rural and suburban health care needs. The recording of the history of this program is of most importance. It documents this collaboration of many dedicated people who committed their time, expertise and who believed in what they were doing. These dedicated men and women believed that their service would make a difference and it did indeed.