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KBIA’s Health & Wealth Desk covers the economy and health of rural and underserved communities in Missouri and beyond. The team produces a weekly radio segment, as well as in-depth features and regular blog posts. The reporting desk is funded by a grant from the University of Missouri, and the Missouri Foundation for Health.Contact the Health & Wealth desk.

Twenty Years at Family Health Center: Gloria Crull Looks Back at her Tenure

Rebecca Smith
/
KBIA

Family Health Center opened back in 1992, and is Columbia’s federally qualified health center, which gets federal funding to assist low-income and medically underserved populations.

Over the years it has expanded to include not just medical services, but also mental health and dental services. And then, more recently, has opened two satellite clinics in rural Missouri – Salisbury and Marceline.

The chief executive officer for Family Health Center, Gloria Crull, said last year the three clinics served 15,518 patients during more than 45,000 visits. She added that 51% of the clinic’s patients are at or below 100% of the federal poverty level, which, for 2015, comes down to one person making less than $12,000 a year.

Crull joined Family Health Center as chief executive officer back in 1995, and Rebecca Smith, from the KBIA Health and Wealth desk sat down with Crull last week to look back at the growth, challenges and successes she has witnessed throughout her 20 year tenure.

I have been here 20 years on Oct. 9, which is a shock to me.

Why don't we start off today, why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself?

So, I was born and raised in Independence, Missouri. I never even knew that Columbia, Missouri, existed. Okay? But as a very young person out of high school and about a year of technical school, I came to Columbia with my then husband, who was going to go to MU in Civil Engineering. And so, Columbia was very different. The total population in Columbia was 35,000, and, you know, we have more than 30,000 students that come to Columbia each fall, so it was a very different place.

What do you think has been the biggest challenges here at Family Health Center to providing care to the community? Has there been, throughout your tenure, throughout your 20 years, a most significant challenge to helping the community?

Hmmm. The biggest challenge is probably recognizing that the need is always greater than our ability to respond. This is a growing community. The population is growing, but so is the poverty level. So the needs are growing and there are limited resources to address that. And limited people who want to work in this environment because it is hard work - it is also very meaningful work, but its hard work nonetheless.

What's the solution, you think? What would you like to see happen? How can you obtain more resources to help more people and how do you attract quality health care professionals to work in this environment?

I think you have to recognize, as I say in new employee orientation, we're only one link in the chain. So, it’s really about partnering with other community organization - and especially the health departments because they are looking at the population as a whole and they come up with great programs. Here in Columbia specifically, we have valuable resources within the community service organizations. Our partnership we hold in high esteem. They are just great. There are just all kinds of resources if we could just bring them to bear and we can get the patients through.

Is there a favorite memory of a patient or an experience or, I'm not sure what it would be, but do you have a favorite memory of your time here?

One that always stands out in my mind, because it tells the poverty story. We had a dental patient - female, head of household, children - whose oral health status was so poor she really was going to be required to have all teeth removed. And so, the dentist, in fact, accomplished that, and when he put in her dentures for the fitting the first time - he handed her a mirror and she looked at the mirror and tears streamed down her face. And he was concerned about that obviously and he said “Is there something I can help you with?” And she said "No. You need to understand. I can get a real job now."

So do you feel like you've achieved your goals - you're doing your dream job? 

Well, I would say that this job has been very worthwhile. Not many of us get an opportunity to do something we love and make a living at it at the same time. So that’s the important part. But in truth, you're never finished. There's always improvement. More to learn. The health care industry is changing dramatically. That is in some ways scary and in some ways very exciting because there’s lots of opportunity.

Rebecca Smith is an award-winning reporter and producer for the KBIA Health & Wealth Desk. Born and raised outside of Rolla, Missouri, she has a passion for diving into often overlooked issues that affect the rural populations of her state – especially stories that broaden people’s perception of “rural” life.