Cone Health to Launch Bridge to Health Program With $1.3M Grant
The Duke Endowment money aims to improve the health of people with complex care needs.
Greensboro- When it comes to a community’s health, few people think about low-income, often uninsured, unhoused people. These highest-risk patients often have multiple chronic medical conditions. They may suffer from substance use disorder/mental health conditions rooted in trauma, and have unmet social needs related to homelessness and poverty. The Bridge to Health program aims to help them.
These patients are among the community members who often require the most complex care. According to the Cleveland Clinic Journal, these patients typically account for less than 1% of a hospital’s total patient population, yet account for more than 25% of the total health care expenditures. The Bridge to Health program provides people with comprehensive, individualized care to improve health and decrease the total cost of care.
The process starts by getting them into bridging clinics. The clinics offer hospital-level care for the highest-risk patients to stabilize their medical, mental health and social needs. Then the patients are bridged to primary care providers and community-based organizations. This allows care to continue outside the hospital.
This four-year grant will include financial support from The Duke Endowment and implementation assistance and evaluation support from The North Carolina Healthcare Foundation, working with the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy. In addition, WakeMed in Raleigh will serve as the inaugural Bridge to Health pilot site and as a key advisor for this emerging initiative.
“This will make a profound difference in the health outcomes of people with complex chronic medical conditions who are very, very hard to care for,” says Cone Health Chief Health Equity and Community Impact Officer Dr. Olu Jegede.
Cone Health is one of six sites across North Carolina receiving similar funding. The pilot begins in Guilford County next year. It may expand later to Cone Health facilities in other counties.
