Rural Health and the Provider-Patient Relationship - Dr. Jean Sumner, Dean of Mercer University School of Medicine

“Everybody deserves access to care, and it's up to us to find a way to provide that,” says Dr. Jean Sumner. She and her team at Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, Georgia take their mission of serving rural and underserved populations very seriously. “Almost,” says Dr. Sumner, “as a sacred trust to serve our state.” That could entail bringing diabetes and hypertension training to church on Sunday, taking phone calls at night, advocating for primary care patients in emergency rooms, or partnering with rural-county pharmacists and physical therapists. She believes being responsive to the community is key to gaining trust and providing good care. In this episode of Raise the Line, learn about Dr. Sumner's inspiring career dedicated to bringing attention to the issues of rural health, and how the pandemic has drawn attention to the lack of primary care in rural communities. Discover why observation over time is such an important and overlooked tool, how having a broad range of skills can save lives, and how telehealth can best be used as a tool to expand access to those in need. If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast