In honor of its broad-based efforts to improve the lives of the most vulnerable members of its community, Memorial Hermann Health System was named a finalist of the prestigious 2013 Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service, one of the most esteemed community service honors in healthcare.
The Foster G. McGaw Prize is sponsored by The Baxter International Foundation and the American Hospital Association (AHA) and Health Research & Educational Trust. As a finalist, Memorial Hermann will receive $10,000 to be used to support their community health initiatives.
“Memorial Hermann Health System and its subsidiary, the Memorial Hermann Community Benefit Corporation, work with community partners to ensure that all residents of the greater Houston area have access to the care they need,” said John O’Brien, chair of the Foster G. McGaw Prize Committee. “The system’s community service initiatives include school-based health services, a mobile dental clinic, an ER Navigation program, a Psych Response Team to identify and refer patients who would benefit from mental health services, and an Interfaith Community Clinic.”
”Memorial Hermann’s community benefit organization dedicates enormous effort to improving health opportunities and conditions for underserved and vulnerable parts of our community,” said Dan Wolterman, president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System. “This important national recognition is not only a sound testament to the extraordinary dedication of our people, but also to the real impact these efforts can have on our community.”
Memorial Hermann was recognized for the following innovative community service initiatives:
- Health Centers for Schools – Established in 1995, this initiative provides access to primary medical and mental health services for more than 40,000 children at 49 schools throughout greater Houston, with a particular focus on uninsured and at-risk students. In 2012, the program’s six clinics helped reduce asthma exacerbations, emergency room visits and hospitalizations by 84 percent.
- Mobile Dental Clinic – Established in 2000, Memorial Hermann operates two dental vans that provide access to preventative and restorative dental services at all six Health Centers for Schools’ sites and serves as a “dental home” for uninsured and underinsured students. In 2012, through 1,846 visits, approximately 25 percent of children and adolescents had cavities at their second visit – a significant reduction compared with the 80 percent of patients diagnosed with cavities during their initial visit.
- ER Navigation – Serving the community since 2008, this program places four certified Community Health workers in three Memorial Hermann emergency rooms to help the uninsured, who disproportionately use ERs for healthcare, navigate the complex health system, establish a medical home, schedule appointments, secure needed social services and cope with future healthcare concerns. A six-month analysis of navigated patients showed a 78 percent reduction in ER visits post intervention.
- Psych Response Team – In an effort to address the barriers to obtaining mental health care, this team, made up of master’s level licensed clinicians, is used by all Memorial Hermann hospitals to identify and refer patients who would benefit from appropriate mental healthcare. Since 2000, more than 35,000 patients have been screened by the Psych Response Team and more than 27,000 patients were moved out of the system and into the most appropriate behavioral health settings.
- Interfaith Community Clinic – Established in 1996 by a group of volunteer medical professionals, this full-time clinic provides nearly 16,000 medical, dental and social service visits annually to families, individuals and seniors who have nowhere else to turn. The clinic strives to be a medical home to its patient base and provides timely post-hospital and ER discharge care.
“The Foster G. McGaw Prize recognizes healthcare organizations that serve as role models for improving the health and well-being of the people in their communities,” said O’Brien. “This year’s winner and finalists embody the numerous ways healthcare organizations reach the distinct communities they serve. Through strong leadership, innovative partnerships, and unwavering commitment, these organizations provide a wide array of programs that make a positive difference in people’s lives.”