Norwood Health Dept. featured in Enquirer article

Yesterday’s Enquirer had an in depth article about the pros and cons of consolidating Hamilton County’s six remaining independent health departments, although of the much focus was on the possible merger of the Cincinnati and Hamilton County departments. Enquirer reporter Barry Horstman did some of his research for the article by attending a Norwood Health Commission meeting, interviewing Norwood Health Commissioner Pamela Walker-Bauer, and accompanying NHD nurse Chandra Corbin on one of her regular home visits to check on Norwood resident Marsha Lingo. (A picture of Chandra and Ms. Lingo appears with the article.) Here’s an exerpt that quotes Ms. Lingo:

Marsha Lingo, 55, left largely bedridden by a stroke, describes her regular home check-ups from Norwood nurse Chandra Corbin as "a visit from a friend I look forward to" each week.

"Without her, I'd probably be in a cemetery," said Lingo, for whom Corbin's visits briefly expand a world largely limited to the bed pushed against a wall in her small living room where she spends nearly every hour, awake and asleep. "I describe it as like having an angel on my shoulder."

As most Norwoodians know, the Norwood Health Department, which operates on a shoestring budget like most of City departments, was at risk of being closed in favor of a contract with Hamilton County Public Health nearly 3 years ago. In the end, City Council voted to keep NHD, in large part because many of the current services would be either lost completely or greatly diminished. Mr. Horstman cites the fact that contracting Norwood Health Department services would negatively affect 16 of the 23 services NHD provides to the community. Click here to see which 16 services would be impacted.