By Hannah Lambalot | Categories: | Comments Off on StreetCred
StreetCred was founded in 2015 after recognizing the need for doctors to address poverty as a disease, not simply just a social problem. For many families, income tax preparation is a challenge as they try to navigate a complicated system. As a result, they often do not receive the tax benefits they are entitled. StreetCred is an innovative program established at Boston Medical Center (BMC) which offers free tax services to families receiving pediatric care at BMC, who are eligible to receive the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit. This service functions as a solution to the financial burden a significant portion of BMC patients face from living with annual incomes below the federal poverty level.
BMC disproportionally serves individuals who are low-income or under-or un-insured. Fifty-four percent of BMC families with children live below the federal poverty level. StreetCred aims to transform families’ wealth and health in a setting they frequent and trust, their pediatrician’s office. During visits, doctors prescribe StreetCred, offering free tax preparation to ensure families receive the Earned Income Tax Credit, the largest, but underutilized, U.S. anti-poverty program. The hospital provides the space, and partners with community tax partners, under the umbrella of the IRS, that provide expertise in tax preparation.
BMC engages with a number of partners, including Yale New Haven Hospital, South End Community Health Center, CAHS, Foundation Communities, Boston Tax Help Coalition, Boston Medical Center, Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, People’s Community Clinic, New York Health and Hospital (Gotham Health), Grow Brooklyn, American Academy of Pediatrics, Blue Hills Banks, DCU, Chris Gordon, Santander, BlackRock, The Paul Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, The Claneil Foundation. These partners work with BMC to provide volunteers, financial programming, grants, technical support, marketing, and client engagement.
StreetCred scaled rapidly and effectively with $5.3 million returned to 2,700 families. In addition, families and staff report 96% acceptability rates.
By Jamie Cetrone | Categories: | Comments Off on PROgram for Non-emergency TranspOrtation (PRONTO)
PRONTO, a partnership with local health-access startup Kaizen Health, utilizes ride-hailing service Lyft to provide free rides to patients being transitioned home from medical surgical and critical care units. Inadequate transportation can be a significant barrier to accessing healthcare — and can contribute to slow bed turnover and lower patient satisfaction.
With PRONTO — which stands for PROgram for Non-emergency TranspOrtation — UI Health social workers can assess a patient’s transportation needs and, if necessary, arrange for transportation home in a Lyft car. The service is available for all adult patients living in Chicago who are ambulatory and expected to depart by 5 pm, Monday through Friday. The hospital pays for the cost of the program, which averages $20/ride.
PRONTO utilizes the Kaizen Health platform to schedule Lyft rides for patients. The interdisciplinary team that launched the program included representation from Nursing, Social Work, Patient Care Services, Materials Management–Logistics, Information Services, Emergency Department, Population Health Sciences, and Health Policy & Strategy.
Following a successful 4 month launch, PRONTO became a permanent service in May 2017. The program continues to have high patient and staff satisfaction and has been an important part of improving hospital throughput.
By Jamie Cetrone | Categories: | Comments Off on Spartanburg’s Way to Wellville
In 2015, Spartanburg was one of five communities in the nation chosen to participate in the Way to Wellville; a challenge to develop new and innovative solutions that amplify and accelerate community health. Sponsored nationally by HICCup, Spartanburg’s Way to Wellville is working to improve health outcomes through five focus areas in the City of Spartanburg: obesity prevention; kindergarten readiness; access to care for the uninsured; health for the insured; and community pride.
A Core Team of cross-sector leaders serves as the key navigator for Spartanburg’s Way to Wellville. This leadership group monitors progress, supports committees in meeting their goals, and explores and evaluates other potential partnerships and related opportunities. Way to Wellville committees create goals and develop specific projects and programs for each of the five focus areas. The hospital and participating organizations leverage resources and equally share the expenses of the Coalition. Although the Way to Wellville focuses on all residents in the City of Spartanburg, particular emphasis is placed on the vulnerable and the very young.
Hospital leadership sit on the core team and look for multiple ways to include the health system in the work. Programs working to find access for the uninsured, a small business wellness cooperative, home visitation programs for new moms…..all involve the health system in some way.
The Way to Wellville explores innovative and creative ways to address critical health issues in the City of Spartanburg. Examples include:
A major initiative to introduce nine programs that would be available to all new mothers and the 650 babies born in the city each year is underway. From home visitation to parenting classes to quality early learning, they are working on a pay-for-success model of financing and look forward to rolling out in 2019.
A prototype of a small business wellness cooperative is currently being built and a pilot will launch mid- 2018. This will allow small business owners to provide similar resources to their employees that large employers do.
By Jamie Cetrone | Categories: | Comments Off on Rx for Change
The Rx for Change program was created with funding and support from Regional One Health’s Foundation, and a partnership with the Office of the Mayor of the City of Memphis. The purpose of Rx for Change is to “intervene and offer support and guidance to victims of violence” by connecting clients with community resource partners which may 1) reduce retaliation levels, 2) allow clients to achieve personal goals, and 3) reduce recidivism rates.
The program serves clients ages 14-24 who are victims of intentional violence and residing in Shelby County, Tennessee. The program is funded and staffed by the hospital, but involves a number of internal and external partners that help assist clients with navigating on-going care, as well as completing personal goals outlined by the client once they are discharged. Partners include: Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Regional One Health Foundation, the City of Memphis Mayor’s Office, GRASSY, 901 BLOC, Workforce Investment Network, HopeWorks, and Hospitality Hub.
Clients are reviewed at the end of a six-month period of time to assess progress. At that time the client is marked graduated, or not. Through-out the process clients are marked active, deferred, inactive or referred. These categories allow us to monitor progress toward success. To-date, approximately 200 clients have been on-boarded. Repeat Intentional Injury rates are low, and this past fiscal year three clients were successfully graduated.
By Jamie Cetrone | Categories: | Comments Off on West 25th Street Community Transformation
MetroHealth’s mission is a healthier community. In addition to good health care, for individuals and families to become healthier they need affordable and safe housing, access to fresh nourishing food, and employment. MetroHealth is taking steps to revitalize the neighborhood surrounding the hospital campus. As MetroHealth embarks on a multi-million-dollar campus transformation that includes a new hospital, it is focusing on the growth of residential, commercial, and retail development in the area. The five-year goal is to revitalize the neighborhood to attract new residents and commerce by improving public transportation, offering a mix of moderate and market rate housing, and stimulating job growth so current residents can move on up, not out.
The largest concentration of Hispanics in Ohio is in the neighborhoods surrounding MetroHealth Medical Center, and median incomes are close to the federal poverty level for most families. MetroHealth, a primary anchor in the community, is the largest employer on the west side of Cleveland. To accelerate revitalization, MetroHealth is creating the CCH Development Corporation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), which will secure funding from private and public sources. It will acquire land and other assets, construct residential and commercial buildings, own and manage real estate, and have the authority to form legal partnerships with private and public entities.
Many hospital departments, such as Arts in Medicine, Aamoth Family Wellness Center, and specific specialties will provide programs and care to enhance lives and ensure better health. MetroHealth also is working with private, governmental, and nonprofit partners to promote economic and community development.
The economic and community development activities will contribute to population health. There will be “placemaking” enhancements to improve the quality of life of residents and those who come to work, visit, shop, and play in the West 25th Street neighborhood.
By Jamie Cetrone | Categories: | Comments Off on Road to Better Health
The Road to Better Health Coalition (RTBH) was formed in 2008 following a community health assessment that identified serious needs in the areas of teen pregnancy, access to care, obesity and other health-related issues. It also confirmed that the community faced significant health disparities related to race, income and education. Leaders took action and formed RTBH, a coalition of over 70 partners and stakeholders, to identify health priorities for Spartanburg County and improve health outcomes through data-driven decision-making. The current priority areas are access to care, adult oral health, behavioral health, birth outcomes, health equity, obesity prevention and tobacco cessation.
The RTBH Coalition is guided by an Advisory Board that includes key leaders from 18 organizations. The Advisory Board provides leadership and strategic input on the operations and activities of RTBH and serves as the collective decision-making body. RTBH taskforces have been formed to establish goals and monitor progress across each of the priority areas. The hospital and participating organizations leverage partnerships and resources and equally share the expenses of the coalition. Although the RTBH focuses on all residents of Spartanburg County, particular emphasis is placed on disparate populations.
The RTBH Coalition strives to connect and mobilize partners who are working to improve local health outcomes. The hospital along with representatives from academia, non-profits, government, philanthropy, and the business community offer their skills, expertise, and resources to the coalition and are committed to bringing about positive change as engaged members of RTBH taskforces and initiatives.
RTBH stakeholders come together every three years to review and prioritize the critical health issues identified in the Spartanburg Community Indicators Public Health Report. They also convene annually to assess progress toward collective goals. The following initiatives serve as select examples of successful efforts to address community health concerns and reduce healthcare costs.
AccessHealth Spartanburg (AHS) connects uninsured residents to a network of donated care, a medical home, and other services including behavioral health care. The success of AHS has contributed to the decrease in charity costs at Spartanburg Medical Center from $116 million (2008) to $64 million (2016). For every $1.00 invested in AHS, there is $12.62 returned in benefits.
Collaborative efforts among local institutions and multiple community partners have led to a remarkable reduction in teen birth rates. The overall teen birth rate for 15-19 year olds in Spartanburg County decreased by 50% from 2010 – 2016. The most substantial decline occurred among African American females; decreasing by 68% from 2010 to 2016.
Spartanburg County’s County Health Ranking improved from 21st in 2010, to 18th in 2014, to 14th in 2017.
By Jamie Cetrone | Categories: | Comments Off on Preventive Food Pantry
Boston Medical Center (BMC) created its Preventive Food Pantry in October 2001 to address hunger-related illnesses and malnutrition among its low-income patient population. Shortly before the Pantry’s opening, a survey found that 1 in every 10 families served at BMC did not know where their next meal was coming from. The Pantry first served Pediatrics and the Women’s Center, as children and pregnant moms were the target population. The other clinical areas were gradually added over a five-year period. It now serves patients from all departments at BMC who have a physician’s referral, a prescription for supplemental food that best promote physical health, prevent future illness, and facilitate recovery.
Striving solely on philanthropy, the Food Pantry provides food to approximately 7,000 people per month. It is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and families can visit twice per month. They receive three to four days’ worth of food each visit, based on their household sizes and dietary restrictions. A key feature is the provision of perishable foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, milk, cheese and eggs – items that are costly and therefore often lacking in a low-income family’s diet.
The Pantry works closely with the Greater Boston Food Bank, receiving an average of 15,000 pounds of food each week. It also benefits from partnerships with companies, local schools, churches and temples that donate food.
Recipient of the 2012 James W. Varnum National Quality Health Care Award, BMC’s food pantry has helped change the lives of many patients and families in a personal and dignified manner. This is evident in the pantry receiving a satisfaction rate of over 90 percent by its clients over the course of its existence.
