School of Nursing
Director's Message
Thanks to a $2,635,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Health as part of its Healthcare Resiliency Program,
Dr. Kristi Wick and her interprofessional team are changing healthcare for aging adults in Tennessee. The MobileMOC Health Unit was officially unveiled at the Rhea County Welcome Center in Dayton, TN. Full story and photos here! She reports that in our state, 22 counties do not have local hospitals, and 13 rural hospitals have closed since 2010. To make matters worse, approximately 90% of adults 60 and older have at least one chronic condition, and nearly 80% have two or more. The question remains, who will care for the aging adults in rural communities? Working with Assistant Vice Chancellor Shewanee Howard-Baptiste, Dr. Wick needed a solution and the MobileMOC is just that.
According to Dr. Wick, the Vicky B. Gregg chair in Gerontology, the MobileMOC outreach health clinic, will be a specially equipped vehicle designed to bring healthcare services directly to communities and individuals in need. Equipped with medical equipment and supplies, the qualified healthcare team led by Becky Miler, APRN, ANP will travel to rural Southeast Tennessee counties to provide essential healthcare services, screenings, and medical care to improve access to quality healthcare for vulnerable populations leading to healthier communities. They will travel to Bledsoe, Bradley, Grundy, McMinn, Meigs, Marion, Polk, Rhea, Sequatchie, and of course, Hamilton County. They will provide health screenings for conditions such as dementia, fall risk, cancer, cardiovascular risk, and mental health disorders. Ms. Miller will provide primary care services to those without an established primary care provider or who have barriers to seeing a primary care provider, treat acute illness and chronic disease management, with a goal of connecting patients with resources within their communities for ongoing care. The interprofessional care team led by Dr. Meagan Oslund will facilitate consultations with specialists as needed via telemedicine within the mobile unit and coordinate services with other disciplines such as social services, nutrition, and occupational therapy. These interdisciplinary services can result in fewer hospitalizations, fewer ER visits, less fragmented care, increased patient satisfaction, increased quality of life, and the ability to live independently for longer. This mobile health unit changes the perceived power dynamic for the Medically Underserved Populations. It creates an environment in which a patient feels more in control, rather than powerless in their healthcare.
Congratulations to this dynamic team which includes the MPH, Social Work, Business, Occupational Health, and of course Nursing. Southeast Tennessee will be better off thanks to the efforts of these dedicated UTC faculty and students.
Christine Benz Smith, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC
UC Foundation Professor
Director, School of Nursing
Chief Health Affairs Officer
The baccalaureate degree in nursing, master's degree in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice and post-graduate APRN certificate at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.
UTC Faculty and Students attended the TANA Day on the Hill on March 18th, 2025!
Beyond the hospital: UTC Nursing aids Hamilton County Corrections. Read the UTC News article!
Congratulations to the BSN Nursing students who were celebrated at the Spring 2025 White Coat Ceremony!
Dr. Kristi Wick, the Vicky B. Gregg Chair of Gerontology was featured on 102.3 FM’s “Jed and JR” morning show to talk about the launch of the Mobile Health Unit coming to UTC in the next month. Click the link to hear about this exciting interprofessional project!