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HRET Health Research & Educational Trust of New Jersey
ResearchHRET Community Outreach Awards
Awards 2004
Press Release: Hospital Association Presents Awards For Commitment To Healthcare, May 14, 2004
| Category 1: |
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Improving Disease and Injury Prevention |
| Winner: |
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Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Ambulatory Care Center |
| Name Of Program: |
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Project Healthy Bones |
| Contact Person: |
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Susan Allison, RN
Nurse Educator, Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease Center
Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Ambulatory Care Center
200 South Orange Avenue
Livingston, NJ 07039
Phone: 973-322-7406
Fax: 973-322-7435
E-Mail Address: sallison@sbhcs.com |
Description Of Winning Program:
Project Healthy Bones is an exercise program through which the Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease Center at Saint Barnabas Medical Center strives to prevent osteoporosis and its concomitant fractures through preserving bone mass and reducing the risk for fracture in older adults with low bone density. The program also provides participants with the knowledge and encouragement necessary to carry out a complete osteoporosis healthcare plan. There are 91 community-sponsored sites where 146 active weekly classes are held, reaching 2000 participants from all 21 counties throughout the state. “Peer leaders”, 615 of whom have been trained to date, teach the Project Healthy Bones exercise classes. These leaders are older adult volunteers who are themselves at risk for osteoporosis and can therefore act as role models for the participants while improving their own health. Manuals and videotapes are available to the leaders and the participants of the classes in order to provide educational materials on osteoporosis and visual reminders on correct exercise form. Furthermore, Saint Barnabas hosts three weekly sessions of Project Healthy Bones to assist those community residents with osteoporosis. To date, 45 community residents have benefited from this program. The outcome of the project has shown substantial progress in exercise level and the amount of weight lifted as well as improvements in self-esteem and well being, all measures that are critical in the prevention of osteoporosis.
| Category 2: |
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Improving Access and Quality of Care |
| Winner: |
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Saint Clare's Health System |
| Name Of Program: |
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Homeless Outreach Program: Mobilizing Healthcare for the Impoverished |
| Contact Person: |
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Ben Martin
Marketing Communication Specialist
Saint Clare's Health System
400 W. Blackwell Street
Dover, NJ 07801
Phone: 973-983-5308
Fax: 973-983-5307
E-Mail Address: bmartin@saintclares.org |
Description Of Winning Program:
The Homeless Outreach Program is a mobile clinic of the Saint Clare’s Health System bringing free, primary healthcare services to the homeless and working poor in the Morris County region. In its fourth year of operation, the mobile clinic, staffed by an advanced practice nurse, a driver, and a volunteer translator, makes daily trips to four designated sites. Volunteers are also available to provide transportation to the mobile clinic from other locations in the region. Since its inception, the program has had 1,566 client contacts for 599 clients and has addressed barriers to health care such as limited public transportation and the lack of health insurance. The mobile clinic also brings healthcare to those who may not seek it due to language barriers. The Homeless Outreach Program complements other social services in Morris County that provide housing, food, counseling, and job training to this population by helping to prevent illness in individuals without health insurance coverage. The outcome has been a significant decrease in the number of Emergency Department visits among this population. As a result, the burden on state charity care expenses has been reduced by an estimated $700,000.
| Category 3: |
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Reducing Healthcare Disparities |
| Winner: |
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Saint Mary's Hospital |
| Name Of Program: |
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Caritas-Connection Project |
| Contact Person: |
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Sister Alice Sullivan
Saint Mary's Hospital
211 Pennington Avenue
Passaic, NJ 07055
Phone: 973-470-3147
Fax: 973-470-3472
E-Mail Address: zampesee@smh-passaic.org |
Description Of Winning Program:
The Caritas-Connection Project of Saint Mary’s Hospital oversees the Juntos en Salud program, which is a collaborative community-based program for the underserved Hispanic population of Passaic, NJ. The mission of Juntos en Salud is to decrease disparities in health care though education, advocacy, and primary health services aimed at improving and supporting wellness within the community. Access to primary health care is increased via a nurse practitioner located at each of two partner churches and at the Hispanic Information Center once or twice per month and a parish nurse at the two churches who offers case management to clients with chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension as well as health promotion, screenings, and health education programs. Juntos en Salud has also organized a parish-based health ministry team and a community advisory committee to offer volunteer services and advocacy to the community. Overall, Juntos en Salud targets 1,100 registered families at the two partner churches as well as the 5,000 individuals served annually at the Hispanic Information Center and the greater community.
| Category 3: |
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Reducing Healthcare Disparities |
| Winner: |
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Overlook Hospital |
| Name Of Program: |
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Breast Health Awareness |
| Contact Person: |
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Joyce Passen
Program Director, Coordinator Community Health
Overlook Hospital
99 Beauvior Avenue
Summit, NJ 07901
Phone: 908-522-5355
Fax: 908-522-2324
E-Mail Address: joyce.passen@ahsys.org |
Description Of Winning Program:
The Overlook Hospital Breast Health Awareness program uses a culturally sensitive community-based approach to promote breast health education and awareness, increase early breast cancer detection, and promote empowerment, professional supports, and peer support among African American and Latino women in Union County. Overall goals are to increase breast cancer survival rates among these populations through promoting earlier detection services and reducing language and other barriers to screening and treatment. The Breast Health Awareness program uses a team of outreach workers, health educators and professionals, and others with Latino and African American backgrounds to assist with education events and screening. These volunteers act as peer educators to promote breast health. They also assist women and their families in making appointments, arranging transportation, and acting as a source of support. Cultural sensitivity and knowledge regarding minority women and breast screenings are also taught to medical residents who then perform breast-screening sessions. Educational workshops targeted toward African American and Latino women are held at various sites in the community and include information on the importance of breast self-exam, the clinical breast exam, and mammography. The program also provides referrals for mammograms and physician visits when necessary. In 2003, 594 women, 78% of whom were Hispanic, participated in these workshops and 131 were referred for mammograms.
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