DANVILLE — Knox County’s health centers are focused on more than providing medical care.
Anthony Bowersock, Knox County’s health center project director and deputy health commissioner, said the goal is to meet residents where they are.
Celebrating National Health Center Week
Bowersock, center partners and local residents gathered Wednesday at the Danville Health Center to celebrate National Health Center Week and highlight the collaborative efforts behind healthcare in Knox County.
The open house welcomed residents to speak with healthcare officials, learn more about the center’s partners and tour the facility. Knox County Mobility Management, CareSource and Buckeye Health Plan were among the partners in attendance.
Though Knox Public Health, and all of the associated Community Health Centers, celebrate the week annually, this year was a bit different, according to Bowersock. Previous years included a large-scale celebration at Hiawatha Park in Mount Vernon.
“We decided this year to take a step back and see how we (could) do it for the entire, larger community,” Bowersock said.
This decision resulted in a series of celebrations at health centers around the county, including in Danville.
The health centers have expanded their services since the first location opened in 2017 in Mount Vernon. The Danville Health Center opened two years later, in 2019, and offers medical and behavioral health services to this day. In 2021, Knox County Dental opened in Danville.
Bowersock joined the team after the centers opened. As a result, his work has focused on “rallying the teams together and having the charge that we’re here to help — however we can help, wherever we can help,” he said.
Bowersock said the growth of the centers reflects a broader mission of improving the health and access of Knox County residents.
“Meeting people in the community where they are, I think, is the name of the game of why we’re here. We’re one team … and we’re here to serve,” Bowersock said.
That philosophy extends beyond the walls of the health centers.
‘Someone is here to help’
Bowersock said staff regularly work with other agencies to help residents overcome barriers that can prevent them from receiving care.
A recent example provided by Bowersock involved a patient who repeatedly missed medical appointments. Rather than simply marking the appointments as missed, staff work to determine why the patient was unable to attend.
The problem, it turned out, was simple: a lack of transportation.
By working with a patient care navigator and Knox County Transit, the health center was able to arrange a ride and help the patient get to future appointments.
“It takes multiple people, maybe multiple agencies to sometimes do that. But if you work in tandem and communicate … to make it happen, it leads to positive outcomes,” Bowersock said.
That collaboration is particularly important in addressing the ongoing health needs of Knox County. According to Bowersock, chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension continue to affect residents, making treatment and access to care ongoing priorities for the centers.
Bowersock said getting out into communities, and doing events like the open house, are crucial forms of outreach that increase resident awareness of available healthcare options. National Health Center Week is ultimately about making sure residents know where they can turn when they need help.
“That’s one thing I love about Knox County, if you need a step up, someone is here to help,” Bowersock said.
