“It’s never been more important that we are on this hospital’s campus than it is now,” Dr. Laura Leatherwood, president of Blue Ridge Community College, said.

EdNC recently joined Blue Cross N.C. on their “Extra Miles” listening tour in Henderson and Buncombe counties. Their first stop was Blue Ridge’s Health Sciences Center.

Standing three floors high, each floor in the building provides services or training that meet the health care demands of Henderson County. It’s a unique partnership that exists between three different entities that are all housed in one building, Leatherwood said.

The uniqueness of this partnership extends far beyond the building.

Starting in high school, students can begin taking Allied Health classes through Blue Ridge. Once they graduate, students can transition into one of 15 programs offered by the community college. Students who choose to continue their studies may enter one of Wingate’s graduate programs.

The result is an entire educational journey completed without students ever leaving their community.

As the tour continued, we heard from Blue Ridge students who had either just begun their program or were near the end. When asked if they planned to stay in the county, all but one student said yes, which is great news for Henderson County.

The students EdNC and Blue Cross NC met will enter the workforce at a critical time, providing services across the spectrum.

The idea of improving the health and well-being of all people was the focus of the tour that day. And it was the community partnerships and interconnectedness of health, education, housing, and jobs that really sparked conversation among leaders.

“I think it’s becoming more clear to us, over the years we’ve talked about disparities, but that these non-medical drivers of health are critical if you truly want to drive towards better overall health and well-being,” said Tunde Sotunde, president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.

Read the full article about education and healthcare by Emily Thomas, EdNC.org, and Alli Lindenberg at The 74.