Reflections on a Decade of Promoting Consumer Health Resources at Remote Area Medical Clinics

Abstract

Librarians at the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Quillen College of Medicine Library have provided consumer health outreach services to rural and underserved populations at Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinics since 2009. These outreach services heavily depend upon and promote consumer health websites and National Library of Medicine (NLM) resources in order to reach the largest number of people at the lowest possible cost. This article will provide a brief overview of RAM clinics in Wise, VA, and Gray, TN, served by ETSU librarians for years. Additionally, this article will discuss the evolution of ETSU QCoM librarian outreach initiatives relating to these clinics over the past decade. This article includes a list of online consumer health resources used to support these initiatives as well as a list of most commonly addressed consumer health topics.

Keywords:

• Consumer health
• health literacy
• libraries
• outreach
• rural

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Emily C. Weyant

Emily C. Weyant, Quillen College of Medicine Library, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA.

Nakia J. Woodward

Nakia J. Woodward, Quillen College of Medicine Library, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA.

Rachel R. Walden

Rachel R. Walden, Quillen College of Medicine Library, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA.

Rick L. Wallace

Rick L. Wallace, Quillen College of Medicine Library, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA.