A paying health promotion clinic: combining client services and student learning.
Major societal changes over the past two decades have created the need for competent health care professionals able to provide high quality health care in a rapidly changing, highly technical society. To meet this goal, the University of Northern Colorado College of Health and Human Services prepares graduates in a unique multidisciplinary health promotion clinic. Department chairs along with clinic and faculty coordinators manage student-learning and client-service activities in this 9,000-square-foot, on-campus clinic. Income is generated through third-party payments and client fees from programs in nursing, nutrition, communication disorders, human rehabilitative services, and community health. Problems encountered in developing this clinic included staffing, physician consultation, fee assessment, faculty hesitancy, and health care competition. Positive outcomes were a more autonomous professional identity for students, clinic practice and research opportunities for faculty, and health promotion care for selected client groups.
D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D003120:Colorado; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement; D010348:Patient Care Team; D000078329:Workforce