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WELLSPAN HEALTH RECOGNIZED FOR
INNOVATIVE HEALTH EQUITY EFFORTS IN ITS COVID-19 RESPONSE
YORK, Pa. (MARCH 31, 2022) – WellSpan Health today announces it is being recognized by
The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) as part of
their COVID Response Innovation Award. WellSpan’s commitment to equitable
access and innovative vaccination strategy with at-risk populations was
selected by a panel of independent judges as one of the top 10 initiatives
across the Commonwealth. This is the third consecutive year of being
recognized by HAP for an Achievement Award in quality and safety.
“WellSpan Health is committed to
being a catalyst and leader in health equity, and our community health
improvement plan along with support from our board of directors helps us
chart a course that produces real results for our friends and neighbors in
need,” said Ann Kunkel, vice president of community health and engagement.
“Our teams lean in and engage with partners to advance the health of some of
our neighbors who are at-risk for equitable access to care because we know
that staying connected to the needs of our communities can lead to improved
health outcomes.”
During
the COVID-19 pandemic, WellSpan Health leaders recognized the need to provide
access to the vaccine for at-risk community members due to several barriers
related to historical inequities, personal health, work-place requirements,
access to child-care, and other barriers related to social determinants of
health.
WellSpan
Health held listening sessions with community partners to determine the best
ways to reach out to these individuals to ensure equitable access to the
vaccine. These partners include Crispus Attucks, CASA, Juntos De
Lebanon and the Black Ministers Association, to name a few. From these
community discussion groups, the organization learned about the opinions,
thoughts, and barriers that form vaccine hesitancy.
“WellSpan was one of the first
in the Commonwealth to bring mobile vaccines to homebound patients. We
brought the vaccine directly to places like Trinity House and Brindle Estates
in Franklin County and Delphia House and Stonybrook in York,” Kunkel said.
“In fact, our protocols were shared across the Commonwealth because of our
important work for our neighbors.”
WellSpan also utilized the
opportunity to partner with trusted leaders in our communities to reduce the
impact of the pandemic by sharing information and educating our neighbors.
Tablets were distributed in homeless shelters, transitional housing, and
personal care homes for online urgent care access; and helped coordinate
quarantining COVID-19 positive community members in hotels when needed.
From
February through June 2021, the number of at-risk community members scheduled
for vaccine appointments and administration of the vaccine increased
resulting in:
- 22,595 total doses
administered to at‐risk community members at WellSpan vaccine clinics,
as well as mobile clinics
- 58 community
partnerships to serve at‐risk community members across South Central
Pennsylvania
- 94 mobile vaccine
clinics across the region
- 2,576 doses
administered to York City community members at the York City
collaborative site hosted by Family First Health and supported by
WellSpan and the York City Bureau of Health.
To learn more about WellSpan
Health’s COVID-19 efforts, visit www.WellSpan.org/COVID19.
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