Closing the Gaps to Care
Helping our communities stay safe during COVID-19 and closing the disparity gap was a key focus this past year. To accomplish this, WellSpan did the following:
- dedicated a team of leaders to focus on the needs of at-risk populations
- allocated 10 percent of COVID-19 vaccine supply for at-risk populations
- held listening sessions and weekly contacts with community-based organizations connecting with more than 300 partners
- translated more than 200 COVID-19 documents
Percent of Patients Age 65+ Vaccinated
| |
Feb 2021 |
Jul 2021 |
| Black or African American |
10.7% |
35.3% |
| White |
17.2% |
36.7% |
| Hispanic / Latino |
8.7% |
30.9% |
| Non-Hispanic / Latino |
17.1% |
36.4% |
The table demonstrates that we reduced the disparity gap for people over the age of 65.
Additional Programs
In addition to the focus on COVID-19 and the vaccine, our teams worked closely to help navigate vulnerable neighbors to health care and social services.
COVID-19 Mobile Vaccination
Through collaborative partnerships with shelters community-based organizations like Juntos De Lebanon, Crispus Attucks, Family First health, Chambers Apothecary, Ephrata Social Services, York City Bureau of Health, First Aid and Safety and Adams County Emergency management, Delta Community Center 6,000 individuals received COVID-19 vaccines through mobile clinics across all five counties.
Prison Re-Entry Program
This program, initiated in York, in January 2021, provides coordination and navigation for community members reentering the community from incarceration, So far this year, the team identified more than 135 individuals with the need to overcome social barriers for a successful transition. Outcomes for the program following a successful reentry demonstrate 78 percent connection to medical care in the community and a 15 percent decrease in no show rates for medical follow-up. This team has successfully supported 60 percent of referrals requiring connection to medical assistance prior to release with a goal to increase that number by the end of the calendar year. Connections to food resources and income are also part of this program and it has supported a decrease in York Hospital ED visits post incarceration (as compared to 90 days prior) by 48 percent. The program was also successful in connecting 68 percent of referrals that are housing insecure to temporary or permanent housing post release.
Medical Legal Partnership
This program partners with Mid- Penn legal services to help individuals who have health harming legal needs affecting their health journey. The program served 33 persons in York in the last year to obtain income, address landlord- tenant issues, secure government benefit, resolve housing and bankruptcy issues. Expansion efforts to other counties are underway.
Healthy Community Network
HealthyCare Card expanded to all five counties, serving over 2,200 uninsured and under-insured people through free or reduced medical care. Healthy Community Network also connected close to 500 individuals and families to medical assistance or Pennsylvania marketplace insurance (Pennie.com). Our Prescription for Caring program supported greater than 2,100 unique patients with over 15,700 prescriptions for continuity of care or barriers to affording the cost.
