SRAHEC Newsletter

Winter 2020

Winter 2020 SRAHEC Newsletter2020-12-17T14:55:49-05:00

A Note from Our Executive Director, Sarah

Hello from Suwannee River AHEC! With the holiday season upon us and the end of the year approaching, we hope everyone is staying safe and well. During the past few months we have been lucky to maintain our programs and adjust them to the new virtual world. We also have some exciting news, the Health Insurance Marketplace Navigator program is available for our community. Please take a few minutes to read about our current programs and learn about two of our staff. We hope everyone has a healthy holiday season. Well wishes for 2021!

Staff Spotlight: Elizabeth Pate

How long have you worked at SRAHEC? 10 months

What do you here at SRAHEC? I am the program specialist for the Meeting and Association Services Department. I jointly manage FRHA, FPHA and NAO association accounts marketing including: social media, website updates, preparing and sending monthly newsletter and maintain membership communication. I support, coordinate and facilitate our Project ECHO’s which consist of Rural EMS ECHO and a Pulmonary Pediatric ECHO. I also support and assist in implementation of online webinars, and/or virtual conferences.

Can you tell me a little about yourself? I am originally from Charleston, SC and moved to Florida in the early 2000’s. I have been married for 10 years and have 7-year-old quadruplets, three boys and one girl. I have a background in nursing but always had a passion for health education. I went back to school after my kids was born and pursued another degree in business and am currently finishing up my MBA. I like to spend my free time working out, spending time with my family and friends and traveling.

What is your favorite part of your job/What has been the most rewarding part of your work so far? The most rewarding aspect of my job is learning more about association management along with helping to grow with the amazing team I work with. I find it rewarding to see projects grow and developing relationships with the partners. Helping partners deliver education where it’s needed is also rewarding. I love that my team motivates and challenges me.

Staff Spotlight: Lynda Lou Simmons

These are some of the jobs I have had in my life: speech/language pathologist, organic farmer, bookkeeper, abortion counselor, gift wrapper, receptionist/office manager, organist for funerals, house cleaner, book store clerk, library worker, and last (almost for sure) but not least, office worker at SRAHEC. Shockingly, I began this “post-retirement” job in April of 2013, 7 & ½ years ago! The time has flown. I have worked primarily with and for Brooke, our office and fiscal manager, doing all things “front office” and this has been a complete joy. As has so much at Suwannee River. I love the mission of SRAHEC and I love the functionality of SRHEC. My experience and observation is that it is just an out and out good place to work.

Also, I love the people who work here, who choose to do this work in the world. One of the many many downsides of this intense pandemic is that all of us working together at the same place at the same time cannot happen. But it will again and I look forward to when we can do that safely……..and I will actually get to meet Genesis and Monique, our two new hires!

In my non-work life I am a gardener, an avid walker, an environmental and political activist, an artist-for-fun, a committed friend, a mom, a grandmom, a dog lover, and an oh-so-happily married lesbian/queer. My partner, Orit, is a professor at UF and will retire in May of 2022. Then will begin yet another chapter of a life ever and interestingly unfolding.

Staff Anniversaries

Meeting & Association Services

Take Your Event Online With Us

Since March the pandemic has devastated the live in-person events and hospitality industry. SRAHEC has worked with countless partners to turn once in-person conferences into successful virtual events with even more to come! SRAHEC can guide and assist you in this new virtual world. We offer registration services with the industry-leading software, Zoom platform usage and seamless integration, hosting and moderating your sessions, recording live meetings to offer enduring credits, setup and management of a conference app or attendee hub, CE/CME services, fiscal reporting, and much more. Please contact Brittany Myers at [email protected] for more information. Let SRAHEC take the stress off of flipping your virtual event!

Suwannee River AHEC offers a wide range of online courses available to allied health professionals on CE Broker.

Topics include:

Upcoming Events

Learning Lupus: The Diagnosis and Management of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

December 18, 2020 | 1:00-2:30 PM EST

During this complimentary, virtual session, participants will learn how to identify signs and symptoms of lupus and what to do if lupus is suspected. 1.5 hours of Continuing Medical Education and Continuing Education offered.

UF Pediatric Pulmonary Project ECHO

Monthly, beginning on January 12th | 12 to 1 PM EST

Family and pediatric providers are invited to participate in an exciting project that will build expertise in understanding sleep problems in children. The ongoing series of TeleECHO clinics will consist of hour-long sessions, comprised of a short didactic from experts and case presentations with discussion from peers and experts.

Rural EMS Project ECHO

Twice Monthly | 12 to 1 PM EST

Using proven adult learning techniques and interactive video technology, the ECHO Model™ connects groups of community providers with specialists in regular real-time collaborative sessions.

The sessions, designed around case-based learning and mentorship, help local workers gain the expertise required to provide needed services. By providing case consultations and brief presentations, experts in mental health, substance abuse, prevention, and wellness will enhance first responders’ knowledge and skills.

We hope to teach, learn, and share best practices across the communities of first responders and to assist them in building self-efficacy.

Public Health Merch for a Cause

Show off your community spirit and support the Florida Public Health Association (FPHA) by purchasing a public health-inspired t-shirt! Better yet, public health-inspired hoodies, sweatshirts, and face masks are also available.

Choose different colors, garment styles, and from three designs that truly encompass the public health spirit. Whether you want a hoodie to show your support for FPHA in the dropping temperatures, a facemask to promote public health, or a t-shirt to advocate, we’ve got you covered!

All proceeds will go towards supporting future FPHA events to benefit public health professionals in Florida and beyond. To get your public health gear, check out FPHA’s store on Bonfire.

Healthy Community Updates

Tobacco: Virtual Quit Classes

Now offering free virtual tobacco trainings for healthcare providers and students, including CE credit

We are now offering virtual tobacco cessation trainings! Our tobacco trainings are free for healthcare providers and health professions college students. Free continuing education credits are provided for 1 hour trainings. If you are interested in a training for your healthcare office or health professions students, please visit our website srahec.org/training or reach out to Lauren at (386) 462-1551 x109.

Florida AHEC Scholars Program

As of May 2020, Suwannee River AHEC’s first cohort of 12 Scholar students completed and graduated from the AHEC Scholars Program. Cohort 2 is moving on to their second year and recruitment for cohort 3 was completed with 23 students accepted, totaling 43 students.

The Scholar students are in the beginning of the semester and have been working hard to complete their online didactic work and are beginning to register for experiential hours. Due to COVID-19, many of the experiential opportunities have been adapted to virtual settings. For example, Zoom-IPE events have been introduced which are made up of pre-work, participation in Zoom-event with breakout sessions, and post work focused on a relevant health topic.

Please visit the following link to learn more about the Florida AHEC Scholars: flahecnetwork.org/featured-scholars-1. Scholar students will continue to be notified on more experiential opportunities as the year goes on. If you know of any opportunities that may be beneficial and of value to the Scholar students, please contact Bianca Flowers at [email protected].

Health Insurance Enrollment Help

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