AdventHealth Ocala is working on a special program that focuses on the local need for better health offering for equine industry workers.
Reducing barriers to health care for equine workers in Marion County is a top priority for the hospital and has led to the establishment of the AdventHealth Ocala Harnessing Health: Equine Worker Health Initiative. This program will include features such as:
- A bilingual health care navigator to assess needs, build services and bridge gaps of care. This team member will travel to various locations to provide outreach and enrollment assistance to help workers navigate the health care system in coordination with other agencies.
- Providing health care services to local equine workers starting in 2025. This is part of AdventHealth Ocala’s first Graduate Medical Education program and their primary care residency training will include working with our health care navigator.
The hospital-funded health care navigator will operate a mobile clinic van to travel between local farms and provide on-site health care services to equine workers, such as primary care (wellness visits and physicals), common acute and chronic health issues, point-of-care tests (blood glucose, pregnancy, rapid strep, etc.) and immunizations, as well as wellness education. Our goal is to add equipment in the van:
- Exam tables
- Standing exam light
- Privacy screen
- Portable blood pressure machine
- Portable pulse oximeter
- Defibrillator AED
The Florida Horse podcast interview with Mangan offers details at https://www.ftboa.com/the-florida-horse-podcast-e40-amy-mangan-adventhealth-foundation-equine-program.
Big Lick Gives donated in support of this initiative in spring of 2024.
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