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By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune November 05. 2014 5:17PM First inaugural award given to namesake Community Health Center, which will become Rogue Community Health, gave its first annual Forsyth Community Health Award to Dr. John Forsyth, for whom it is named, at its Ticket to Health Luncheon Wednesday at the Inn at the Commons. Forsyth, 76, is a longtime center volunteer who served on its board for six years, two as president, and has been a clinical consultant for 20 years. He has spearheaded other volunteer health efforts in the Rogue Valley. From 1970 to 2004 he practiced cardiology and internal medicine locally. “I kind of thought it was my retirement luncheon. I didn’t know there was an honor involved,” said Forsyth. “There comes a time when you get old and you don’t want to be a burden.” As he practiced medicine, Forsyth said, he realized that despite the sophistication and dedication at the medical center, a large number of people didn’t have access to that. “I always thought that was a tragedy and I wanted to do a little something with regard to that,” said Forsyth. In 1994, when one-third of county residents didn’t have health insurance, Forsyth and others asked all physicians to volunteer. Four out of five answered the call, he said. With the collaboration of the hospital, clinics and the doctors, Volunteers for Patient Access to Consultation and Treatment was started to provide charitable specialty care for low-income, uninsured patients. More than 20 volunteer physicians now help Rogue Community Health, he said. In 2010 Forsyth helped create Choosing Options, Honoring Options for education about end of life issues. He is emeritus chair of Jefferson Regional Health Alliance, which focuses on improving health in Jackson and Josephine counties. He served on ethics committees at Rogue Regional Medical Center and Providence Medford Medical Center and twice chaired the Oregon Kinsman Medical Ethics Conference. Forsyth’s volunteerism may be genetic. “My mother was a nurse and did a lot of neighborhood nursing when she wasn’t at the hospital,” said Forsyth. “My dad during the Depression had a lumber yard, and he was always letting men out of work and on the railroad sleep in the yard and getting them hot meals.” Forsyth and his wife, Lynne, will remain in Medford. He plans to read and study philosophy, a passion, in his spare time. Also announced at the luncheon, the name change is being made to give the nonprofit a distinct identity from 9,000 similar centers nationwide that receive federal grants and are federally qualified health centers. “We have been thinking about if for a while. We have been going through quite a bit of internal work,” said Chief Executive Officer William North. “This came out of those discussions.” Initially the name change will appear on items such as stationery and business cards. Larger pieces such as outdoor signs will change next year with all updates to be completed by spring. Also new, the organization will present an online scorecard each quarter that measures clinical services, the work force, volunteers, community partnerships and financial stewardship. The first scorecard can be found at www.communityhealthcenter.org/about/balanced-scorecard. Rogue Community Health began in 1972 as the Ashland Women’s Health Center. As roles and the service area broadened, it became the Community Health Center. The organization provides health services at locations in five Jackson County communities and through four school-based centers. The group’s mission is to promote health for low-income, working uninsured and other vulnerable children and adults. A majority of the group’s board of directors are patients, North said. Reach freelance writer Tony Boom at [email protected]. http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20141105/NEWS/141109788 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->