Meet a difference maker: Richard Fox, MD

In the hands of a passionate champion, the seed of an idea can grow into a grand vision. Richard Fox, MD, a family medicine practitioner in Depoe Bay, had just such an idea one day when he realized that nearby Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital badly needed a central location for physicians, employees and students to meet and hold educational training and meetings.

Fox’s vision aligned with the findings of the county-wide Community Health Improvement Project (CHIP), which identified the need for a central location where community members could access health education programs that focus on prevention and wellness. He began meeting with staff at the Pacific Communities Health District Foundation to talk about how to create a facility that would meet all of these various needs.

The next thing he knew, Fox was at the helm of a project to raise funds for and create the Center for Health Education — a hub for health-related information, classes and support groups. The completed center will feature meeting rooms of various sizes; a professional skills lab for hospital employees and health occupations students; a computer training room; a health resource library and more.

Fox is so excited about the project that he has also donated a significant portion of his collection of antique medical equipment to eventually be displayed at the center. His enthusiasm for the project extends from the very thing that made him want to become a doctor — helping people live healthier lives.

“There’s a worthwhile end to all of this,” Fox said.  “It will help make our community a healthier place.”