July launch of whole-person health service seeks to close
South Side Chicago healthcare gap for ages 50+
CHICAGO, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A one-of-a-kind
healthcare collaborative, the Center for Better Aging (CBA) located
at St. Bernard Hospital, opens in July with a health equity mandate
to serve the growing 50+ population on Chicago's Greater South Side.
With $122.5 million in state
healthcare transformation funding and a central hub for medical
care and community outreach, the CBA collaborative of South Side
providers has designed a unique, whole-person model of care. A
devoted team of physicians, nurse practitioners, specialists and
social workers will untangle complex aging and longevity issues and
resolve the social conditions that block effective care. Smart
technology and timely follow-ups will give aging adults more
knowledge of their conditions to take confident steps toward long,
active lives.
"A whole-person, collaborative approach will be vital to closing
the life expectancy gap in the greater South Side community," said
Center for Better Aging Executive Director Estrelitta Harmon.
"There is a shortage of primary care doctors on the South Side, and
few are trained in the health issues specific to the 50+
population. CBA partners will elevate the standard of aging adult
care and focus on what matters to each patient."
Harmon, a former healthcare
consultant and senior leader for the Illinois Department of Public
Health (IDPH), is bringing her health strategy experience to bear
in Chicago's longevity crisis.
Average life expectancy varies by 14 years or more between
Chicago communities, according to
a Chicago Health Atlas analysis of IDPH statistics, with higher
rates of preventable hospitalization among Black older adults.
Englewood has one of the lowest-ranked communities for life
expectancy–68.1 years in 2020, vs, 81.9 years in Forest Glen and 81.1 years on the Near North
Side. The community is the heart of the Center for Better Aging
initiative. CBA will complete construction in July on medical
offices at the St. Bernard Hospital Ambulatory Care Center, located
next to the hospital at 6307 S. Stewart Ave. CBA will offer an
end-to-end preventive care service with home safety checks, social
determinants of health assessments, coordinated services,
telehealth options and educational outreach to extend aging adult
resources into the community.
Grant Supports Aging and Longevity Solutions
St. Bernard Hospital is the lead partner in securing a
$122.5 million grant from the
Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services to fund the
nonprofit CBA under the HFS Healthcare Transformation
Collaboratives program. The CBA partners also work to renovate the
hospital through capital investments, increase access through
robust digital investments and build the healthcare workforce on
Chicago's South Side.
"The inequities and barriers to access that exist in health care
for communities of color are challenges that can be especially
difficult for older adults to navigate, because they may be facing
a range of complex health issues as they age," said HFS Director
Elizabeth M. Whitehorn. "The goal of
the Healthcare Transformation Collaboratives program is to create
equitable health care access by implementing solutions that are
uniquely tailored to the needs in the communities each
collaborative serves. HFS is excited to continue this partnership
with the Center for Better Aging, as we work together to reduce
disparities, better serve customers and ultimately improve health
outcomes in South Side communities."
The St. Bernard location offers older adults an all-in-one
healthcare hub with advanced diagnostic equipment and the South
Side's only geriatric-certified ER. The newly renovated ambulatory
care center features state-of-the-art CT and digital mammography
units and a relaxation suite. Primary and urgent care, emergency,
diagnostics and geriatric pharmacy services are all closely located
on the state-of-the-art campus.
St. Bernard is one of about 100 hospitals in the U.S. to receive
Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation from the American
College of Emergency Physicians, certifying the ER's aging adult
resources to assure well-coordinated, quality emergency care. St.
Bernard also received two successive "A' grades in 2023 from the
Leapfrog Group, which rates medical centers for patient safety
practices.
"Having the CBA health center on campus will assure proper
follow-up care and reduce patients' risk of a return to the ER,"
said St. Bernard Hospital President and CEO Charles A. Holland. "St. Bernard is one of only
three accredited geriatric emergency departments in the
City of Chicago. As a safety net
hospital, we are committed to ensuring lifelong health and
advancing health equity for everyone on the South Side."
The research-based CBA model of aging adult care is predictive,
preventive, personalized and participatory. Chronic disease
management services address conditions commonly affecting aging
adults, such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
CBA has recruited scarce geriatric primary and specialty
providers to address age-related conditions onsite at the health
center. Aging adult resources include geriatric mental and
behavioral care, with screening for difficulty with comprehension,
self-care, and cognitive functions.
Providers will support mobility and longevity with physical
therapy and fall risk prevention to help patients stay active in
the community. Community partners connect patients to social
activities and other aging adult resources to support their needs
beyond the clinical setting.
Provider partners in the CBA collaborative include Chicago State University, Chicago Commons, Complete
Care Management Partners, DL3 Realty, Smyl Fitness Rx, SPARC
Wellness, University of Illinois
Hospital & Health Sciences System and Wilkes Wellness
Services.
About the Center for Better Aging
The Center for Better Aging is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to whole-person care for the lifelong health of adults
age 50+ on Chicago's South Side.
CBA and its partners will provide medical and wellness services
across the St. Bernard Hospital campus, in home wellness visits and
through community outreach. CBA brings together medical experts and
advanced diagnostic equipment to enhance well-being through
predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory care. The
coalition that governs the CBA is anchored at St. Bernard Hospital
as part of the State of Illinois'
Healthcare Transformation Collaboratives program. To learn more,
visit centerforbetteraging.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kimberly Palacios
Purpose Brand
kpalacios@purposebrand.com
purposebrand.com
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SOURCE Center for Better Aging