Bringing Care Closer to Home with Dr. Robert Haley

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I am at the Westside Community Health Fair with Dr. Robert Haley. He tells me the event offers screenings for things like HIV, hep C, blood pressure, and diabetes, along with booths for veterans, disability services, and other community resources. More than seventy medical students from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine are here to learn how to connect with people and provide real help, and Dr. Haley says they have even identified emergencies like diabetic crises in past years. He explains the fair began around the pandemic to meet needs that were being overlooked and has grown into a trusted annual event. We talk about how many people feel intimidated going to a doctor’s office, but here they can talk freely about what hurts and get pointed toward the right care. Dr. Haley reminds me that screenings can save lives, because ignoring a problem does not make it go away. He hopes people leave saying they found someone who listened and cared in a welcoming space.