Ross Jones

Ross Jones

Dr. Jones serves as the medical director of community health at UF Health Jacksonville and medical director of the Total Care Clinic Group. He is a board-certified family medicine physician with a focus on chronic disease management, preventive medicine and community engagement. He is a native to Jacksonville, earned his medical degree at the University of Florida and completed his residency in family medicine at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Jacksonville.

In additional to his role as a family medicine physician, Dr. Ross Jones is focused on the UF Health Urban Health Alliance, a program improving the health of the citizens of Duval County through reduction of poverty, reducing social isolation, prevention of chronic diseases and empowering community members to be their own agents of change. This program is a dynamic hub for policies and programs that positively impact the lives of those in our community, priority areas to improve the quality of life for Duval County residents.

With more than 343,000 households in Duval County, nearly 37 percent of them fall below the ALICE threshold, which refers to the population in our communities that are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — specifically those who are working, but due to high cost of living, transportation challenges and financial hardship, are struggling to pay for basic needs and basic necessities on a monthly basis. Poverty at the individual and at the community level is inextricably linked to a myriad of poor health outcomes, such as increased mortality rates and low birth rates, and often results in fewer opportunities to escape poverty.

Over the past year, Dr. Jones has taught me a great deal about the disparities in our community and how it impacts our city as a whole. Most recently, Dr. Jones has been involved with the planning and execution of the COVID-19 testing for residents of the region who are at risk of being disproportionately affected by the coronavirus public health emergency. Providing testing to those who many not have reliable access to healthcare, improves better outcomes and reduces transmission of the virus.

Dr. Jones is passionate about the need to promote strength and resilience within a challenged and often overlooked population. To achieve this goal to bolster the health of individuals and our community, and to build better lives, Dr. Jones is working diligently to develop the UF Health Urban Health Alliance in partnership with other non-profits to support the improve the quality of life for Duval County residents includes: services to implement evidence-based programs to address social determinants of health and to reduce health disparities.; Education and training opportunities for individuals of all ages to increase knowledge about potential solutions for the community; Research and provide support for innovative research that is effective in improving health equity and outcomes; and Policies that provide empirical evidence necessary to inform, create and modify policies affecting population health.

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