Community Collaboration Creates a Culture of Health

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Community Collaboration Creates a Culture of Health (Hospitals and Health Networks)

Hospitals and Health Networks shares case studies from St. Mary’s Health System in Lewiston, Maine and Sinai Health System in Chicago. The article looks at how both organizations were able to “harness the assets of their communities to create lasting partnerships that improved health.”

Both organizations focused on specific social issues unique to their communities that were having short and long term effects on citizens, including high levels of lead in homes, food insecurity, employment challenges, and housing and clothing issues. Collaborating with a host of local organizations and communities, including immigrant residents, community gardens, and community health workers, provided the best possible outcome for remedying these issues and creating positive change.

Additionally, Sinai Health Systems created the Sinai Urban Health Institute, which uses research and evaluation to “achieve health equity through data-driven research.” A recent project, the Sinai Community Health Survey 2.0, looked at 16 health-related topics across nine regions. The results now influence Sinai’s policies towards improving community health in those areas.

Similarly, addressing the unique social determinants of health for each region of Delaware is a top priority for the Delaware Center for Health Innovation (DCHI). Specifically, the Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative is a collaborative approach to community health, involving stakeholders from statewide governments, local health systems, community organizations, insurers, and area employers. The goal of the committee is to implement sustainable interventions/programming to encourage healthier lifestyles and improve the quality of life for every Delawarean. To learn more, visit us at https://www.dehealthinnovation.org/.

**Articles are intended to foster meaningful discussion about the opportunities and challenges driving healthcare reform** 

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