Burlington Times-News report on health department spending includes insights from Stephanie Baker

Baker, an assistant professor of public health studies, commented on areas of public health where more investment is needed.

A recent report by the Burlington Times-News looking at spending by the Alamance County Health Department as the local population has grown includes the expertise of Stephanie Baker, assistant professor of public health studies.

Assistant Professor of Public Health Studies Stephanie Baker

The report notes that during the past two decades, population growth has outpaced spending by the county health department. Alamance County Health Department Director Tony Lo Giudice told the news outlet that even though spending has not increased substantially, the department is constantly assessing local needs to help identify and address issues concerning the community.

As the health department considers areas for more investment, increasing access to care and ensuring residents know about available services should be a priority, Baker told the Times-News. “One of the ways that we could increase spending is mobilizing access to care and services from the health department so that they’re more accessible to people who are not in such close proximity to where the physical buildings are located,” Baker said.

Read the entire article here.