National Rural Education Association Official Podcast

S02E21 – Vaccines, Rural Access and Discussions of Science and Advocacy in promoting healthcare in Rural America. An interview with Mr. Alan Morganand and Dr. Jennie McLaurin

Episode Summary

In this episode, we interview two experts in the field of rural health. The first is Mr. Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association, and the second is Jennie McLaurin, a Pediatrician, Writer, and Public Health Expert. This episode discusses the importance of vaccines and the updated boaster of COVID-19. We discuss how the view of COVID has changed over the past two years, particularly for children. Our guests discuss how COVID has disrupted access to resources for hospitals and how these attitudes may influence rural access to vaccines especially given what was seen in previous surges of infections. For example, how do hospitals or schools adapt should another outbreak occur? Another aspect we have discussed is the role of misinformation regarding the virus. This is a great episode for healthcare professionals and administrators alike in planning for the year. Mr. Alan Morgan National Rural Health Association Alan Morgan serves as Chief Executive Officer for the National Rural Health Association. He has more than 30 years of experience in health policy at the state and federal levels and is one of the nation’s leading experts on rural health policy. Mr. Morgan served as a contributing author for the publication “Policy & Politics in Nursing and Health Care” and for the publication, “Rural Populations and Health.” In addition, his health policy articles have been published in: The American Journal of Clinical Medicine, The Journal of Rural Health, The Journal of Cardiovascular Management, The Journal of Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, Cardiac Electrophysiology Review, and Laboratory Medicine. Dr. Jennie McLaurin Pediatrician, Writer, and Public Health Expert Jennie is a pediatrician, writer, and public health expert with particular interests in culture, bioethics, and theology. She graduated from Salem College with a degree in chemistry. She then received an MD from Wake Forest University, an MPH from UNC-Chapel Hill, and an MA in theology and ethics from Regent College (Vancouver, BC). She has worked with marginalized and underserved communities in the US for over 30 years, caring for migrant, homeless, indigenous, and special needs populations. Nationally, she is a Senior Fellow for Public Health Integration and Innovation at the National Association of Community Health Centers. She has collaborated in programs to advance food security, reduce childhood obesity, improve immunization access, and reduce health disparities.

Episode Notes

Mr. Alan Morgan National Rural Health Association

Alan Morgan serves as Chief Executive Officer for the National Rural Health Association. He has more than 30 years of experience in health policy at the state and federal levels and is one of the nation’s leading experts on rural health policy. Mr. Morgan served as a contributing author for the publication “Policy & Politics in Nursing and Health Care” and for the publication, “Rural Populations and Health.”  In addition, his health policy articles have been published in: The American Journal of Clinical Medicine, The Journal of Rural Health, The Journal of Cardiovascular Management, The Journal of Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, Cardiac Electrophysiology Review, and Laboratory Medicine.  

 

Dr. Jennie McLaurin Pediatrician, Writer, and Public Health Expert

Jennie is a pediatrician, writer, and public health expert with particular interests in culture, bioethics, and theology. She graduated from Salem College with a degree in chemistry. She then received an MD from Wake Forest University, an MPH from UNC-Chapel Hill, and an MA in theology and ethics from Regent College (Vancouver, BC). She has worked with marginalized and underserved communities in the US for over 30 years, caring for migrant, homeless, indigenous, and special needs populations. Nationally, she is a Senior Fellow for Public Health Integration and Innovation at the National Association of Community Health Centers. She has collaborated in programs to advance food security, reduce childhood obesity, improve immunization access, and reduce health disparities.