Keeping You Healthy & Out of the Hospital
Beebe’s Population Health teams work in the community to keep patients healthier
When Kim Blanch stepped into the role of Community Services Manager for Beebe’s Population Health Department, she already knew a lot about the vision of the department.
Kim Blanch, RN, Community Services Manager at Beebe Population Health, works with her team to provide preventive healthcare for the community.
Kim, a long-time nurse and holistic wellness practitioner, had been working in Population Health for several years.
“Leading these amazing teams is an incredible opportunity for me and I am grateful for all of the building blocks that have already been put in place. I look forward to continuing to improve upon the programs as well as expand our offerings,” she said.
“Ultimately, our goal is to help people live their best life possible by providing programs, education, support and health screenings to those in our community to help catch any issues before they become more serious,” Kim said.
Beebe’s vision is for Sussex County to be one of the healthiest counties in the nation.
“Beebe really means it when we say we want to improve the health of our county,” Kim said. “We work here, but we also live here and providing the best care to everyone is deeply important to us.”
There are many ways the Population Health team works in Sussex County. Here are a few.
Free Health Screenings
Beebe’s Population Health outreach teams attend numerous community events to provide free blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, BMI, and bone density, as well as memory testing. The team works with local organizations, churches, and companies to provide regular health screenings. For a list of upcoming events, visit: www.beebehealthcare.org/calendar.
In addition, each fall, Beebe’s Population Health team provides free flu shot clinics throughout Sussex County. Each Monday, community members can come to the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus and have a free flu shot in the Emergency Department waiting area. For all the upcoming flu shot opportunities: www.beebehealthcare.org/calendar.
CAREs Program
CAREs is a patient-centered transitional care program in which a specialized healthcare team assists people with acute and chronic illnesses. The collaborative approach involves educating patients on how best to manage their medical conditions as well as address the barriers they may face so that they remain in their home and be as healthy as they can be. People enter this program through referrals from physicians and other healthcare providers prior to leaving the hospital. For more information, contact Population Health at (302) 645-3337.
Community Health Needs Assessments
As a not-for-profit healthcare system, Beebe conducts a Community Health Needs Assessment every three years. Through surveying residents and county stakeholders, they are more comprehensively informed to:
- Determine areas of greatest need in our county
- Develop strategies and programs around those priorities
- Dedicate resources to support those interventions and initiatives
In addition to providing insight into the current health situation of our community, the assessment also allows Beebe to create action plans. “We can see where the most need is and then we can create programs, classes, or plans for how to address those needs,” Kim said.
Healthy Living Workshops for People with Chronic Conditions
Beebe is working with the Delaware Division of Public Health to offer free 6-week Healthy Living Workshops for those living with chronic conditions. The program is designed to help adults who are either living with (or trying to prevent) a chronic condition, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, weight issues, chronic pain, arthritis, lung disease, multiple sclerosis – or any chronic health concerns – take charge of their health and their life! Adults caring for someone living with a chronic condition are welcome to register as well. It is recommended for participants in the workshops to attend all six weeks. Find all of the upcoming workshops on Beebe’s Eventbrite page.
Beebe’s Collaborations
Healthier Sussex County: A collaborative effort of community members, community resources, and area hospitals began in Sussex County in 2011. Our mission is to make Sussex County one of the healthiest in the nation by collaborating to address health issues and encourage residents to work toward optimal health.
Beebe Healthcare, Bayhealth – Milford, Nanticoke Health Services, and several other health and community organizations have joined together to support all Sussex County residents in our quest to achieve better health. For more: http://www.healthiersussexcounty.com.
Sussex County Health Coalition: The Sussex County Health Coalition exists to help the community identify its greatest health concerns and then develop its capacity to address those concerns. The Coalition is using Community Capacity Building (CCB), a conceptual approach to social-behavioral change, a method to understand the barriers that people, governments, organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) need to overcome to allow them to achieve community health goals. For more: https://www.healthysussex.org.
Sussex Goes Purple: One of the latest initiatives that Beebe is supporting is Sussex Goes Purple, which aims to raise awareness of the opioid epidemic in the county, state, and nationwide. The initiative, created by Sussex Health Coalition, will host an event September 11 at 7 p.m. at Crossroad Community Church in Georgetown. The speaker, Chris Herren, a former NBA player, will share his story of addiction and loss and how he turned it around through recovery and hope. Chris has founded the Herren Project and Project Purple to raise awareness and stand up against substance abuse. For more information on the event, email [email protected].
“Overall, the team here seeks to engage with our patients and community members. We provide outreach to the community, including a Prescription Food Program to connect those who have limited funds get healthy and nutritious food,” Kim said. “From hospital to neighborhood to home, we strive to provide optimal care, education and support, assisting individuals in achieving their best quality of life. Our Population Health initiatives are continually expanding to support our fellow residents across the continuum of health; in illness, in prevention, and in wellness.”
