South Side group gets health update

Dwayne Parker, director of community marketing and diversity for Hurley Regional Medical Center, was the guest speaker at the South Side Business and Resident Association meeting Sept. 20.

Parker spoke about what Hurley is doing to reach the unmet needs of those whose health — as measured by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's report — put Genesee County nearly at the bottom of the list, making it one of the most unhealthy counties in the state.

Providing medical services alone isn't the answer, according to Parker.

"There are health behavior issues that hold our community back — like smoking and obesity," Parker said.

According to Parker, the medical center is taking aggressive and innovative steps in improving health in the region. It developed a strategy, over the next decade, to help adults regain health and live in their own homes; bring state-of-the-art services to families; become an advocate for adolescents helping them transition into healthy adults, and expanding its research facilities to improve public health.

Hurley plans on adopting communities and neighborhoods to discover what works in transforming the health of the people who live there.

"We have three fine hospitals in our county," Parker said. "We want you to be healthy no matter what health care door you go through."