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Feature

Carolinas HealthCare System and Novant Health
Have Embarked On a First-Of-Its-Kind Initiative

Improving Access to Health Care In Charlotte’s Underserved Neighborhoods
In 2015, Ophelia Garmon-Brown, MD, senior vice president of
    Community Wellness and Education at Novant Health, and Alisahah           will address not only medical care, but also the social determinants that
    Cole, MD, vice president and system medical director of community         can dramatically affect a community’s health and wellbeing.
    health at Carolinas HealthCare System — both physicians focused
                                                                                “People want a good neighborhood. They want to be able to go to
                                                                              a grocery store; enroll their children in good schools; and have jobs,

on primary care and community health — developed a near instant               transportation and housing,” says Dr. Garmon-Brown. “Without these

friendship. That friendship and connection soon blossomed into a game- things, there is no stability and that makes good health infinitely more

changing idea.                                                                difficult to achieve. We really are talking about the whole person,

After community health assessments found lack of access to primary because we realize health is about being whole and not just about going

care within six zip codes designated as public health priority areas, both to see an amazing physician.”

doctors were adamant something radical needed to be done and began            Both Carolinas HealthCare System and Novant Health, under the

discussing ways the two systems could move the needle on community leadership of Cole and Garmon-Brown, are committed to improving the

health together.                                                              lives of this region’s most vulnerable populations.

Fortunately, Gene Woods, president and CEO of Carolinas HealthCare            “We want to create a world-class community here in Mecklenburg

System, and Carl Armato, president and CEO of Novant Health, had begun County,” says Garmon-Brown. “And I think the long-term vision would

forging their own relationship. It seemed the time was right to collaborate be that we create this sustainable model here in Mecklenburg County, but

on a project focused on improving health care access to Charlotte’s most      then we move on to Cabarrus County or York County and work to better

vulnerable communities and addressing the social determinants that often the lives of people there.” Adds Cole, “We can compete on radiology and

lead to health disparities and dire outcomes. Both leaders noted that, while specialty care, but when we really start talking about our community

their two systems compete on one level, it is increasingly important to       members, we are going to work together to build a culture of health.”

combine resources to tackle the challenges ahead.

  Research shows that African-American and Latino populations in              NATIONAL HEALTH &
Charlotte, like those across the country, are more likely to suffer from      WELLNESS OBSERVANCES

both chronic and acute disease, and in the face of these diseases, have less
positive outcomes. Community health assessments done by Carolinas

HealthCare System, Novant Health and the Mecklenburg County Health            SEPTEMBER 2017
Department all identified the same specific zip codes within the city
with higher incidence of chronic disease and higher mortality rates. In           Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk
addition, these areas had higher concentrations of poverty and lower                  Baby Safety Awareness Month
levels of education, all indicators of lower health outcomes.                        Blood Cancer Awareness Month

                                                                                   Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
                                                                                    Fruit & Veggies More Matters Month
  Because statistics show that clinical care accounts for only 20 percent                 Healthy Aging™ Month
of health outcomes, social determinants — including education, income,                   National Recovery Month
housing and transportation — are responsible for the additional 80
percent. As a result, both Novant Health and Carolinas HealthCare              National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
                                                                              National Cholesterol Education Awareness Month
System recognized that making headway in these areas would require               National Food Safety Education Month
more than just medical care. Addressing social determinants is critical.       National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

  “If you look at the issues our nation is facing right now, health is           National Menopause Awareness Month
critical to all of them, whether you are speaking about education or                  National Preparedness Month

upward mobility or the general hope and happiness that people want            National Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month
                                                                              Prostate Health Month
                                                                                          Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
for themselves and their families,” says Dr. Cole. “I think it is extremely              Sports and Home Eye Safety Month
important as we start to look at all of these issues that large healthcare    September 1-7: National Childhood Injury Prevention Week
systems start to play more of a role in the social determinants of health         September 9: PurpleStride Pancreatic Cancer Walk
and begin to shift from this notion of health care to the notion of health,          September 10-16: Suicide Prevention Week
which really does encompass all of those things.”                                  September 10-16: National Assisted Living Week

The two health systems have come together to change the trajectory            September 17-23: National Rehabilitation Week
                                                                                      September 24-30: Active Aging Week
of these communities by gathering a coalition that includes businesses,       September 27: National Women’s Health & Fitness Day
nonprofits, physicians and health teams, government agencies, community
leaders and grassroots organizations. Working collectively, these solutions     September 30: Family Health and Fitness Day USA

8 | September 2017 • Mecklenburg Medicine
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