Putting your health first
Following the establishment of Knights Landing One Health Center, students recognized the need for preventive care services that addressed diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. In collaboration with the UC Davis Department of Nutrition, nutrition students were invited to provide nutritional counseling to help patients manage diseases through diet changes.
Unfortunately, the collaboration was short-lived due to the limited availability of nutrition students who were volunteering throughout the UC Davis School of Medicine . Medical students then filled this role of educating patients on healthy lifestyle changes to address their medical conditions.
In January 2018, the clinic board members decided to establish health education services separate from primary care appointments. By April 2018, a health education committee was formed. By doing so, patients will receive individualized one-on-one health education to ensure that healthy lifestyle changes are met. In addition, health education services will provide patients with greater knowledge about disease pathophysiology and the resources available in their community.
Members of the health education committee took on the new role of “health educator” at Knights Landing One Health Center, and will become the primary source of chronic disease prevention and patient education