Photo by Matt Schorr
Boston's Health Care Without Walls Chief Operating Officer Linda M. Cundiff, RN, MS speaks at the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance "Incubator."
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Researchers and community members gathered at the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance Thursday, June 2, to attend an "Incubator" featuring Boston's Health Care Without Walls Chief Operating Officer Linda M. Cundiff, RN, MS as the special guest speaker. The theme for the event was "Community Health Workers and Using Community Engagement to Improve Community Health."
Cundiff's presentation focused on community health workers, who they are and how they can impact healthcare in a target population. Often, such workers are peers of a target population that serve as culturally competent connectors, she said, and they can benefit health systems by enhancing care, increasing cultural sensitivity and more.
Other topics covered included:
- What approaches are you using with community health workers?
- What is working?
- What are challenges?
- Sustainability
- Research/evaluation partnerships
About the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance
Founded in 1999, the Alliance bridges the institutions of Meharry Medical College and Vanderbilt University. Its mission is to enrich learning and advance clinical research by developing and supporting mutually beneficial partnerships between Meharry Medical College, Vanderbilt University and the communities they serve.