By Jamie Cetrone | Categories: | Comments Off on Lincoln-West School of Science & Health
MetroHealth leadership wanted to develop a program that would help local high school students realize a more promising future. In September 2016, the Lincoln-West School of Science & Health opened within MetroHealth Medical Center. With deep immersion in the MetroHealth community, including exposure to a wide variety of careers in the health system and health care industry at large, the goals of the school are to mentor students and prepare them for post-secondary and career opportunities.
Students come from throughout the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, and the program is managed by a MetroHealth employee. In addition to core classes, students have a health industry-specific curriculum that includes community health, empathy, exercise, leadership, medical simulations, and ethics. Freshmen are on-boarded through monthly field trip experiences and sophomores are matched with mentors in areas of interest. Juniors participate in a scholar-employee shadow program and seniors are hired as unpaid interns in various departments throughout MetroHealth.
Per their specific interests, students are matched with hospital employees who are mentors, so they can see firsthand what a career in their interest area entails. Students can be matched with doctors, flight nurses, accountants, food service workers, development staff, strategy teams, any of the hundreds of jobs in a health system.
There has not been a graduating class yet because this is only the second year of the school. It is anticipated that with the smaller class sizes, devoted teachers, and hospital employees who volunteer as mentors and tutors, students will receive the support and encouragement they need to flourish.
By Jamie Cetrone | Categories: | Comments Off on School Health Program
Many children in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) lacked easy access to health care. MetroHealth launched the School Health Program (SHP) in November 2013 to bring primary care health services to children at their schools, initially serving two schools. Now, in the fourth year, the mobile unit travels to three high schools and nine elementary schools. The program also serves one CMSD site via an in-school clinic.
The goals are creating healthy schools with wellness programming, improving school attendance, growing the program, and becoming more sustainable with patient-based revenue, all with the aim of population health.
Nearly 100 percent of CMSD students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. A graduation rate of 64 percent and chronic absenteeism rate of 35 percent are the result of the many challenges students face. By providing services at schools, the SHP eliminates many of the barriers to receiving health care. The SHP has a medical director, behavioral health director, APRNs, physicians, program directors that are medical assistants, and a mobile van driver. It connects students and their families with primary care providers in Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs) across The MetroHealth System. Operating resources are a mix of patient revenue, institutional support, grants, and individual philanthropy.
Our partnerships have resulted in a variety of education and engagement opportunities for our CMSD sites. The SHP collaborates closely with internal MetroHealth departments including the Aamoth Family Pediatric Wellness Center, Trauma Department and Arts in Medicine to provide wellness services to students, staff, and families. Programs and activities include fitness breaks, safety towns, art classes focused on social and emotional learning, and introduction of the #BeWell campaign across sites. Externally, the SHP has partnered with the Cleveland Foodbank to provide health screenings at schools. The SHP also serves as a site to train child health professionals – including students in nursing, public health, community health, social work, and medical residents and students.
The SHP provides valuable care coordination in the management of chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes. Working with families, school nurses, SHP providers, primary care providers and specialists has produced significant documented improvements in population health outcomes. Care coordination, along with convenient services and proactive outreach, has increased utilization of preventive services and completion of immunizations more successfully when compared to state and national Medicaid populations.
By Jamie Cetrone | Categories: | Comments Off on ARMC’s Breathmobile
Because asthma is one of the leading causes of school absenteeism as well as the number one reason children go to the emergency room, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) and the County of San Bernardino, in association with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation, have implemented a unique approach to pediatric asthma management by establishing the Breathmobile® program that provides care via an “asthma clinic on wheels. The Breathmobile ® provides coordinated case identification, structured mobile office visits, diagnostic testing, physical exams, pharmacological therapy and patient/family education in asthma management. All services are provided at no cost to the patient.
The goals of the program are to deploy two Breathmobiles to provide free asthma and asthma related care to surrounding, underserved schoolchildren who are otherwise unable to receive this type of care.
The Breathmobile® travels to 40 different school sites throughout the County of San Bernardino, rotating to each site every six weeks. During the school hours the Breathmobile® staff sees patients that attend the school site as well as any child referred from the surrounding area. A complete evaluation, examination, care plan and extensive patient family education are completed at the time of the visit. Follow-up visits require a shorter time span than the initial evaluation. The average visit requires less than 30 minutes of the child’s day. Providing care at a familiar, convenient site, often within walking distance for parents without transportation, has greatly improved patient participation and compliance with follow-up care.
The Breathmobile® staff consists of a pediatric specialty practitioner, a licensed vocational nurse and a respiratory therapist who are specially trained in asthma case management. The Breathmobile® team, in collaboration with school nurses and health aides, facilitates initial identification of patients. Ongoing communication with the school nurses and health aides help the patients remain compliant with their asthma management program.
The Breathmobile® healthcare model has proven to be very successful in overcoming the complex social and economic barriers that can prevent successful chronic disease management in children in lower socio-economic areas. Seventy-five percent of the children participating in this program have their asthma symptoms under control by the third follow-up visit, regardless of the severity of their illness. Evaluation studies have demonstrated decreased school absenteeism, fewer emergency room visits, improved pulmonary function and exercise tolerance, and an overall improved quality of life.
Funding for this program is provided by Arrowhead Regional Medical Center with additional financial support from ARMC’s Foundation.
By Jamie Cetrone | Categories: | Comments Off on TECH/TEACH
The TECH and TEACH programs at Broadlawns Medical Center were developed to provide education, training and awareness for career opportunities that exist in health care. Specifically, the TECH and TEACH programs identify candidates who are at-risk or from the underserved neighboring communities. TECH and TEACH are paid training and education programs, and participants complete the program having earned a CNA degree.
TECH and TEACH are programs for Training and Educating for a Career in Healthcare. TECH is geared for high school students, and TEACH is geared for adults. Both programs provide mentoring, professional development and training for healthcare positions ie: technicians, phlebotomists and patient access representatives. By drawing participants from underserved, neighboring communities, Broadlawns is committed to educating and employing the individuals from the neighborhoods that have the highest concentrations of unemployment and poverty.
The TECH and TEACH programs are a product of cross-department work, including administration, human resources, marketing, the hospital foundation, community outreach, physicians, and nursing staff. Broadlawns has also involved numerous external organizations in the development of the TECH and TEACH programs. Urban Dreams and iJAG have assisted greatly in identifying candidates for participation in the program. United Way of Central Iowa has provided some financial support for the TEACH initiative. Other community partners include Signature Healthcare, Des Moines Public Schools, Wesley Life, Creative Visions, Evelyn K. Davis Center, the Department of Human Services, and the Polk County Health Department.
The first group of TECH students completed their training in April 2017. Seven of the ten TECH high school students were hired by Broadlawns upon completion of the training program.
By Jamie Cetrone | Categories: | Comments Off on Screening, Mobile Markets, Nutrition Education
Cook County Health and Hospitals System (CCHHS) includes the John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Provident Hospital of Cook County, Oak Forest Health Center, and 16 ambulatory and community health care clinics in the greater Chicago area and suburban Cook County. CCHHS launched a pilot program in 2015 that connected food-insecure patients to fresh produce resources through the Greater Chicago Food Depository. CCHHS uses a two-question food insecurity screening tool during patient intake, and patients who screen positive are given vouchers for fresh produce at mobile produce markets called “FRESH Trucks.” CCHHS also connects food-insecure patients in need of permanent assistance to local Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) resources. CCHHS has also piloted culinary and nutrition education programs to teach patients about healthy eating.
By Jamie Cetrone | Categories: | Comments Off on Healthy Youth Transitions
Memorial Healthcare System in Hollywood Florida started the Healthy Youth Transitions (HYT) Program 7 years ago as a result of an investigation of the child welfare system which identified gaps in services when youth unsuccessfully transitioned to adulthood with little support, skills or preparation. HYT helps youth and young adults age 15 to 22 who are aging out of foster care make the transition to independent living.
The program structure is provided by Memorial Life Coaches, who develop rapport and engage youth in an open, honest professional relationship in order to assist them with successful transition to an acceptable, responsible, productive adulthood. Typically, the youth distrust the very systems they have relied on as they have been disappointed frequently by foster care agency staff turnover, lack of services, frequent group home relocations (several youth served have been in over 20 homes in the 10-12 years they have been in foster care) and being separated with the siblings. By building a safe and nurturing relationship, HYT youth being to realize that the Memorial staff are here to help them grow, mature and develop into the adults they desire to become but did not have the role models or consistent caring adults in their lives. The Life Coach aims to help each participant gain skills and self-sufficiency to navigate the logistics of daily living, health management, social relationships, education, employment and money management, and other aspects of young adulthood.
All of Memorial Healthcare System’s Community programs and initiatives are rooted in collaborative partnerships that work to strengthen families and communities. HYT involves internal collaboration, with partnership from the primary care, specialty services, and behavioral health departments. External community partners include local universities, food banks, legal service providers, and the sheriff’s office.
Current outcome measures of the program found that 96% of the females have had no new pregnancies, 98% of all youth have had no new law violations, 98% demonstrated proficiency in employability and/or job retention skills, 86% made progress in school, were promoted, graduated, or obtained a GED, and 89% have obtained stable housing.
By Jamie Cetrone | Categories: | Comments Off on Guns Down, Life Up
Gun violence is a serious public health crisis in New York City. Not only are thousands of lives lost to gun violence every year, but it is also the leading cause of death among young people between the ages of 13-24 in NYC. To address this issue, NYC Health + Hospitals implemented Guns Down, Life Up (GDLU). The goal of GDLU is to reduce violent injuries among young people, ages 11-18, so they never end up as trauma patients in hospital facilities. To achieve this, the program has three main components.
Prevention: engaging youth early in long-term mentorship and developmental activities to divert them from involvement with violent peer groups and behaviors.
Community Mobilization: engaging with concerned organizations and neighborhood residents to build community strategies to reduce neighborhood violence.
Intervention: immediately engaging with people who have been violently injured to prevent retaliation and provide counsel and support.
NYC H+H works with many partners on GDLU, including local schools, Cure Violence programs across the city, the Bronx Documentary Center, and other local vendors and community-based organizations to share resources and activities.
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.
