Sentara Healthcare moves into the medically underserved community

Sentara Healthcare's Princess Anne Hospital in Virginia Beach, Virginia

Photo: Courtesy of Sentara Healthcare

Sentara Healthcare has opened the first three programs in a new model called Sentara Community Care. 

Two Sentara Community Care Centers have begun offering services in Norfolk, Virginia. One is inside the Union Mission homeless residential facility and a second in the medically underserved Berkley neighborhood.

The third program is servicing the entire Hampton Roads, Virginia, region through the Sentara Mobile Care bus. 

Sentara Community Care plans to expand across Sentara's entire footprint in Virginia and North Carolina over the next two years.  

WHY THIS MATTERS

The program is meant to reach underserved populations, such as Medicaid members, as well as uninsured and underinsured individuals.

The goal is to reduce barriers to health and wellness by maximizing convenience and providing consistent services in neighborhoods that historically lacked access. These neighborhoods also have known health disparities and statistically experience worse health outcomes, Sentara said. 

Sentara was able to combine geographic information system (GIS) technology with de-identified patient and member information to pinpoint and prioritize populations with the greatest needs and insufficient access to healthcare and community services.

"We are thrilled to launch Sentara Community Care and provide enhanced health and wellness access and resources to our most vulnerable residents. This new model of care, in tandem with our collaborative community partnerships, will improve health equity and address social determinants of health," said Howard P. Kern, president and CEO of Sentara Healthcare. 

Dennis Matheis, president of Sentara Health Plans, is the incoming president and CEO of Sentara Healthcare.

"We developed this innovative model of care through a community-driven approach, utilizing feedback from respected community and faith-based leaders to better identify and understand local needs, and establishing partnerships and services to fulfill them," Matheis said. "Sentara Community Care enables us to leverage our position as an integrated health system to bridge gaps in healthcare and reduce health disparities as we deliver high-touch care directly to the communities that need it most."

THE LARGER TREND

Sentara is a not-for-profit integrated delivery network with both medical professional and health plan services. It consists of 12 hospitals in Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina. 

The Sentara Health Plans division, which serves more than 950,000 members, is involved in the program, led by Patricia Darnley, SVP of government programs.

Dr. Jordan Asher, executive vice president and chief physician executive at Sentara, oversees the Sentara Community Care program.

"Social determinants of health, such as housing, financial literacy, food insecurity and transportation needs, directly impact 80% of our health and wellbeing. Sentara's collaboration with various partners will help us better understand and address the specific factors unique to each neighborhood and its residents," Asher said.

The range of complementary social and wellness services offered at the various sites of care include food and nutrition security assistance, cooking and health education services, healthcare navigation, substance use resources, education and career training, transportation assistance, housing assistance, domestic and community violence assistance, and financial literacy services.

Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org