Sixteenth Annual Monroe E. Trout Premier Cares Award/Vision

Descriptions and contact information for award recipient, finalists and semi-finalists

Compiled January 2008

Award recipient

Bridge to the Future Program at Nurses for Newborns Foundation

St. Louis, MO

In St. Louis, Missouri and the surrounding areas, the Nurses for Newborns Foundation has a goal of preventing child abuse, neglect and infant mortality though in-home nurse visitation. In 1993, the foundation established its Bridge to the Future program to serve medically fragile infants from birth to age two. Healthcare, education and parenting skills are provided cost-free to newborns and parents who are underinsured and have limited resources or access to care.

With a goal of lowering infant mortality and providing care to physically and socially vulnerable infants and families, the Bridge to the Future program helps over 815 families per year by making almost 4000 in-home visits.

The success of the program relies on the many objectives it maintains such as reducing child abuse, neglect and injury; increasing immunizations; establishing a medical home for patients; limiting re-hospitalization and unnecessary emergency room visits; and providing necessary food, clothing and sleeping items for babies in the home.

The program has achieved measurable success: In 2005 and 2006, no instances of child abuse or neglect and no re-hospitalization of infants were reported for Bridge to the Future patients. Every baby in the program received food, blankets and an infant sleeper. In addition, 90 percent were current on immunizations.

Contacts:
Laurie Hyde, Nurse
Sharon Rohrbach, CEO
Nurses for Newborns Foundation
7259 Lansdowne Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63119
314.544.3433, ext. 319
laurie.hyde@nfnf.org
Sharon.Rohrbach@nfnf.org

Finalists

Birth Companions

Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD

Since 1999, nursing students specially trained as Birth Companions have provided free “doula” care to poor women in the greater Baltimore area. The student nurse doulas partner with mothers before birth, throughout labor, and after birth with emotional, informational, and physical support.  

Expectant mothers working with Birth Companions benefit from improved healthcare for themselves and their infants. Program participants are less likely to have pre-term or low-birth-weight newborns compared to state and national indicators. Birth Companion student nurses benefit from specialized training in culturally sensitive, diverse lifestyles, health needs, and healthcare preferences among different ethnic populations.  

Emphasis also is placed on identifying medical risks, educating about the impact of smoking, and explaining the importance of good nutrition. 

So far, 475 Johns Hopkins nursing student Birth Companions have provided support and increased positive outcomes for 496 births in Maryland. Additional data suggest that the presence of a Birth Companion results in fewer medical interventions—like epidurals, episiotomies, and Caesarean sections—during birth.

Contact:
Elizabeth "Betty" Jordan, DNSc, RNC
Birth Companions Program - Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
525 N. Wolfe St.
Baltimore, MD 21205
410.614.5306
bjordan@son.jhmi.edu

Crews'n Healthmobile Clinic

Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation, Phoenix, AZ

The Crews’n Healthmobile was established in 1999 to provide comprehensive healthcare services to the highly underserved and vulnerable population of homeless and at-risk individuals age 0 to 25 in Phoenix. Healthcare providers deliver free services such as comprehensive exams and medicinal treatment; screening for mood disorders, anxiety, depression and sexually transmitted disease; immunizations; vision and dental care; and Radiology, OBGYN and Psychiatric services via a 35-foot mobile medical unit. Healthcare services are provided in areas where homeless youth congregate as well as teen mothers and children living in group homes and shelters.

The primary goal of the program is to provide vital healthcare services to those in need. However, the program also serves as a catalyst to getting youth off the streets and into a safe, stabile situation. Over the past two years, the Crews’n Healthmobile has cared for over 1400 new patients for a total of 3819 total healthcare encounters. In addition, over 4600 case management referrals and almost 7000 educational visits were provided.

ER visits have been reduced by 25 percent for those who regularly use the Healthmobile. The number of screenings for sexually transmitted disease, HIV and hepatitis has increased to 92 percent of patients. Behavioral health screenings are on the rise, and youth are beginning to understand that they can get help using the services provided by the Crews’n Healthmobile.

Contacts:
Jane Walton, Public Relations
Dr. Randal Christensen, Medical Director
Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation
Crews’n Healthmobile Mobile Clinic Project
2929 E. Camelback Rd, Suite 122
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602.546.5871
jwalton@phoenixchildrens.com 
602.908.7755
rchriste@phoenixchildrens.com

El Rio Pharmacy Based Diabetes Program

El Rio Foundation, Tucson, AZ

In 2001, El Rio Community Health Center began the Pharmacy-Based Diabetes Management Program as an innovative way to serve the more than 70 percent of Tucson’s Hispanic and Native American population who are at or below the poverty level. Through the program, pharmacists serve as the primary healthcare provider for the patients’ diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia management.

Over 1300 people living in Southern Arizona are currently being helped by the program’s two registered pharmacists. The Pharmacists provide diagnostic, educational and therapeutic management services, including ordering lab tests and prescribing medication 24/7 using multiple languages to meet the needs of patients.

The primary goal of the program is to lower the following key indicators of diabetes and heart problems: A1C or blood sugar level, LDL or bad cholesterol, and SBP/DBP or blood pressure level.

Outcomes show statistically significant improvement in patient lab values and health behaviors. The number of patients at target blood sugar levels has increased to 41 percent - compared to 6 percent of those under regular community health care - resulting in healthier patients and a reduction in the cost of care. In addition, patients have lost weight, stopped smoking and regularly take medicines.

Contact:
Brenda Goldsmith, Executive Director
El Rio Foundation
El Rio Pharmacy Based Diabetes Program
520.250.6156
BrendaG@elrio.org

Metta Health Center

Lowell Community Health Center, Lowell, MA

Lowell, Massachusetts is home to the second largest Cambodian population in the United States. As newcomers to this country—many suffering the trauma of fleeing their homelands and leaving family members behind—the Southeast Asian residents of this New England community face health and cultural challenges every day.

Established in 2000, by the Lowell Community Health Center to address health issues and related factors impacting the area’s Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese residents, the Metta Health Center seeks to ease the impact of chronic illnesses like diabetes and the burden of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in an environment that blends Western primary care and mental healthcare with Eastern traditional healing and alternative medicine.

To reduce language issues, all signs and literature within the center are written in English, Laotian and Khmer—and trained medical interpreters are readily available.

Metta Health Center diabetes patients have improved diabetes outcomes – over 57% of patients lowered their Hgb A1C levels with 38% attaining the target goal of less than or equal to 7.  Patients also participate in exercise and smoking-cessation programs. Mental health testing has shown distinct improvements in post traumatic stress disorder and depression cases – participants exhibited a 24% improvement in test scores in 2007, representing a 26% gain over outcome improvements measured in 2006.

Contacts:
Dorcas Grigg-Saito, Lowell Community Health Center
Sonith Peau, Director, Metta Health Center
Metta Health Center - Lowell Community Health Center
585 Merrimack St.
Lowell, MA 01854
978.441.1700
dorcasgr@lchealth.org
sonithpe@lchealth.org

Steps to Success

Terrebonne General Medical Center, Houma, LA

Terrebonne General Medical Center recognized the need to deliver parenting and prevention education to its community, and thus established its Steps to Success Program in 1999 to improve outcomes for parents and children by providing services to the underserved population. Steps to Success works with Terrebonne General’s Women’s Center and other community agencies to provide parenting education, parent support groups and information hotlines for those in need.

The program’s model focuses on three major areas of need: preventing teenage pregnancy; fostering the healthy development of children during the critical ages of 0 to 3; and providing young mothers and fathers with resources, education and support to cultivate effective parenting.

The RealityWorks program, focuses on life skills education – specifically responsible decision making. Students are given a computer-simulated doll that requires 24-hour care providing participants with a realistic glimpse of the realities of parenting. To encourage attendance, the “Baby Bucks” incentive was created to award participants for prenatal care visits, well-baby visits, immunizations and family planning among others.

The educational programs have a considerable impact on parents and children. Over 8500 individuals have received services through the Steps to Success program.

Contacts:
Kristie Mazur, Program Manager
Terrebonne General Medical Center
Steps to Success Program
P.O. Box 6037 Houma, LA 70361
985.850.6336
Kristie.Mazur@tgmc.com

Semi-finalists

Little Egypt Breast & Cervical Cancer Program

Centralia, IL

Developed by St. Mary's Hospital in 1998, the Little Egypt Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (LEBCCP) brings over 250 medical providers together to provide screenings for uninsured, low-income women who might not otherwise receive them. The LEBCCP operates out of the Community Health Services department at St. Mary's Hospital.

Contact:
Vicki Vaughn
LEBCCP, St. Mary's Hospital
400 North Pleasant
Centralia, IL 62801
618.436.8274
vicki_vaughn@ssmhc.com

Helping Hands Clinic/Caldwell Health Access Program

Lenoir, NC

Founded in 1998, the Helping Hands Clinic is a free medical clinic and pharmacy addressing critical healthcare needs of low-income, uninsured residents of Caldwell County, NC. The Clinic partners with the Caldwell County Health Department and Caldwell Memorial Hospital to assign primary care physicians for patients needing chronic disease management, to increase access to acute care and ancillary services and to provide access to prescription medications for uninsured patients.

Contact:
Lou Hill
Helping Hands Clinic
810 Harper Avenue NW
Lenoir, NC 28645
828.754.8459
lou@helpinghandsclinic.org

Washington County Hospital Congestive Heart Failure Program

Hagerstown, MD

The Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) program at Washington County Hospital began in 2001 as a community service providing ongoing education and case management to individuals with CHF after discharge from the hospital. This free program uses simple technology to link local medical professionals directly to patients in need of care and management through an interactive voice response system monitored by a nurse clinician.

Contact:
Pamela Peitz, RN, MS, CHES
Washington County Hospital Association
251 East Antietam Street
Hagerstown, MD 21740
301.790.8941
ppeitz@wchsys.org

Project Safety Net - Long Island Association for AIDS Care

Hauppauge, NY

Project Safety Net is a continuing 5-year collaborative mobile program allowing disadvantaged individuals in 14 high-need communities of Southeastern New York access to critical healthcare services. Emphasizing HIV and substance abuse prevention, the program provides testing and treatment of any medical service through its mobile outreach network.

Contact:
Jeffrey Friedman
Long Island Association for AIDS Care
60 Adams Avenue
Hauppauge, NY 11788
631.385.2415
jfriedman@liaac.org

Primary Care Center CATCH Program

Henderson, KY

Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) is a community outreach program established in 1994 by collaborative efforts from Methodist Hospital (MH), the Henderson County Public School System, the Henderson Salvation Army and the Henderson Housing Authority. Staffed by two registered nurses, a medical clerk and a Medical Director, CATCH provides routine, on-site medical care at seven locations throughout Henderson County to children from low-income families who cannot afford medical care or families who face barriers to adequate healthcare for their children.

Contact:
Pamela Moran
Primary Care Center CATCH Program
1305 North Elm Street
Henderson, KY 42420
270.827.7161
pmoran@methodisthospital.net

 

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