The Dayspring Regional Health Center (DRHC) opened its doors to patients almost a year ago. Since that time, the facility has been providing the community with a wide range of quality medical services, though Dayspring Health is continuing to look for ways to improve those services while also striving to make the facility a place that gives back to the community it serves.
Larry Rector, chief executive officer for Dayspring Health, spoke to the News Journal last month about a variety of things, including the outreach initiatives that the organization has already started and a few others that they are hoping to implement.
The driving force behind this desire to bring more public-focused events was based around a concept called “Blue Zones.”
“There are these pockets of subcultures where people live 10-plus years longer on average than others, and one of the things that separates those folks from the norm is a strong sense of community bonds. So, I wanted to figure out how we could facilitate that here,” said Rector. “It’s amazing how relationships and community essentially give us a will to live.”
Among the initiatives that have already been put in place is senior night events and a book club.
The first book club meeting was held April 25 in the DRHC community room, which is a large multi-use space near the back of the facility. The book club is currently just a small group, according to Rector, with eight individuals participating. However, the initial group size was only intended to be a maximum of 10 people until the group found its footing.
More information about registering for that club can be obtained by calling (606) 549-2656 and dialing extension 336.
The club is currently just meeting as they are able.
Another initiative that is already underway is senior nights, which met for the first time on April 15.
That event was open to those in the community who were 60 years of age or older and those who help care for them, allowing for an afternoon of carefree fun through games, snacks, prizes and fellowship.
The senior events are planned to continue moving forward, according to Rector, who said that the first one was well received.
Dayspring already works alongside the Whitley County Health Department (WCHD) in a number of ways, including offering WIC services at DRHC on specific days, but they are hoping to expand that partnership by allowing the health department to host cooking classes in the coming months. Details are still forthcoming, but Rector said that those classes could start as early as this summer.
Something that Rector was particularly excited to share is the addition of a mobile clinic that should soon be in place. Rector called the mobile unit “an exam room on wheels” that can meet patients wherever they are in the community.
That unit is expected to be setup at various public events throughout the year and will offer same-day appointments ranging from general wellness to urgent needs.
The locations for where it will be will be located at any given time will be promoted on Dayspring’s social media sites as well as those of whom they will be partnering with.
“This will make access to healthcare that much easier so you don’t even have to drive to the clinic,” said Rector.
A back-to-school event is being planned for sometime in late July or early August to provide area students with various supplies that they may need for school. Specifics are still being hammered out, but Rector noted that games, inflatables and a variety of giveaways are being planned.
Rector said that similar events are being looked into and actively planned, so more should be expected in the future.
“The thought is, ‘Let’s just try it and see if it sticks.’ If it’s successful, then we’ll keep doing it,” said Rector. “We just have a goal of making our space a place of building relationships and building community.”
Dayspring is also expected to host a one-year celebration event in conjunction with several other agencies in July to commemorate the opening of DRHC. More information regarding detailed specifics will be available in the near future, though Rector said that he is hoping to have state legislators, as well as Gov. Andy Beshear, be in attendance.
DRHC is a 50,000 square foot comprehensive medical center that is meant to be a one-stop shop for the community that it serves. The new facility was built to address the common issue of access to quality healthcare by providing a medical home with numerous services in one location.
For more information regarding Dayspring, DRHC, their services or outreach initiatives, visit www.dayspringhealth.org or find them on Facebook by searching for “Dayspring Health.”
