Caring for the health of the community is the driving force behind everything Maria “Alice” Alino, MD does. For the past 22 years, Dr. Alino has served as a pediatrician in the Oroville area and has spearheaded initiatives at Oroville Hospital, bringing advanced services and health education opportunities to children and their parents. It is this drive to help others that recently led her to receive the National Award for Community Service from the U.S.T. Medical Association of America for her service both locally and abroad.
“It was an honor to receive this award and be recognized for the programs I’ve been implementing at Oroville Hospital, along with the medical and school supplies, scholarships, and health services that have been donated abroad,” says Dr. Alino. “There is so much need in the world. The things we take for granted in the U.S. are so beneficial to other countries.”
Throughout her career as a pediatrician, Dr. Alino has been instrumental in organizing the following initiatives with assistance from Oroville Hospital, family members, community groups and local churches:
- Pediatric Telemedicine Services: Her practice was the first private clinic in the United States to offer telemedicine services to patients beginning in 1996. Dr. Alino’s efforts to bring needed medical services to the area were featured during Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s launch of California’s Telehealth Network, and her office was instrumental in contributing to policies addressing high speed communication networks for telemedicine.
Establishment of a Computer Lab in Tanzania: Dr. Alino orchestrated the donation and establishment of a computer lab at Star High School in Arusha, Tanzania, a city located in the Eastern part of Africa. She, along with family members and a local church, also coordinated the donation of textbooks to aid in the education of children and young members of the Masai tribe.
- Medical Missions and Supplies: Dr. Alino donated large shipping containers full of medical supplies and equipment to countries such as Fiji, Tanzania, Peru and the Philippines. She has also participated in medical missions to deliver needed medical care in underserved and developing countries.
- Read to Succeed Program: Her office promotes reading, brain development and communication skills through its Read to Succeed program each summer. The program is open to children ages 6 to 12-years-old and rewards prizes and books based on the amount a child reads during a three month period.
- Fitness for Kids Program: For the past seven years, Dr. Alino’s office has conducted a Fitness for Kids educational camp that teaches parents and children healthy eating habits and encourages regular physical activity. The eight week program for patients 8 to 16-years-old meets once per week and incorporates fun activities that get kids moving. Patients that successfully complete the program receive a summer membership to the Oroville Sports Club to further strengthen healthy lifestyle choices. Fitness for Kids participants are also given free admittance to Oroville Hospital’s 3K Salmon Color Dash in September, an event that draws over 400 community members for a walk/run along the Feather River.