TALLAHASSEE – Bethel Missionary Baptist Church hosted its first Healthcare Symposium for the Big Bend Community on April 13, with contributions from the Florida State University College of Medicine.

The goal of the symposium was to bring together local partners in an effort to provide more accessible healthcare services to rural and other surrounding areas, allowing more people to receive quality care on a consistent basis.

“This year’s overall goal is to promote health for all, but to actually promote health equity,” said College of Medicine associate professor Niharika Suchak, the keynote speaker. “We need to also focus on marginalized populations that already have healthcare disparities due to health equity issues.”

Dr. Joedrecka S. Brown Speights, professor and chair of the College of Medicine’s department of Family Medicine and Rural Health, served as facilitator in an hour-long discussion centered on being proactive in preventing the next pandemic.

The Minority Health and Wellness-themed event was sponsored by Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Big Bend Hospice and Transitions Supportive Care and also included presenters from Capital Health Plan, Apalachee Center and Florida A&M University.

Among those in attendance from the College of Medicine were dean John P. Fogarty, M.D., senior associate dean Alma B. Littles, M.D., and Daniel Van Durme, M.D., who were recognized for their contributions toward Bethel’s community efforts.

Additional coverage of the event:

Bethel Missionary Baptist Church held healthcare symposium
(WTXL)

Bethel Missionary Baptist to host symposium aimed at closing healthcare disparities
(Tallahassee Democrat)