Novant Health invests $25.5 million in community impact and health equity initiatives across North Carolina

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Aug. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Since January 2020, Novant Health and Novant Health Foundation have invested $25.5 million in community impact and health equity initiatives across North Carolina, made possible by funding, clinical expertise and a range of strategic programs. Together, these initiatives are designed to improve the key drivers of health, including access to care, food, housing, transportation, technology and workforce training and development.

"As we work to deliver on our mission to improve the health of communities, one person at time, we've seen firsthand that these key drivers of health influence outcomes in both positive and negative ways," said Carl S. Armato, president and CEO of Novant Health. "By leveraging and expanding connections with our community partners, we are directly addressing these social determinants of health and are continuing to improve the health and upward mobility of our communities." 

Novant Health has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to improving the health of our communities, one person at a time, by improving access to care, investing in the community and supporting economic mobility. 

"Over the past two years, Novant Health Foundation has focused on raising funds to address health equity gaps so we can provide expanded access to services across all the communities Novant Health serves," said Ann Caulkins, senior vice president and president, Novant Health Foundation. "We are grateful to our donors who have recognized the importance of and invested in these initiatives and look forward to seeing the positive impact on our patients and community members."

To date, the health system has funded the following programs:

Novant Health continues to deliver on its commitment to improve access to care by placing providers in communities most in need, including: 

• Opening two Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinics in Charlotte, North Carolina, with two more planned for Wilmington, North Carolina.  
• Expanding Today's Woman OB/GYN in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to provide primary care services.
• Deploying mobile health units to priority ZIP codes across its markets, providing easier access to primary care, vaccines and screenings, including mammograms.
• Placing community health workers in access clinics to connect patients with community resources to address social determinants of health.

Novant Health provides philanthropic support to community-based programs that address identified health and social needs vital to each community's well-being, including developing healthy communities and expanding opportunity through education. In 2022, Novant Health has provided nearly $2 million in charitable contributions to community partners across its footprint.

Novant Health supports the upward mobility of both Novant Health team members and community members through programs designed to improve opportunities for professional growth. Most recently, these programs include:  

• Establishing nursing and allied health endowed scholarships across the state, which allows students the opportunity to gain education in different areas of healthcare.
• Expanding the Upward Mobility RN Educational Assistance Fund to team members across the Novant Health system. The fund provides up to two years of upfront coverage of tuition and fees for nursing school, leading to licensure as a registered nurse. Participants are offered the flexibility of working a reduced schedule without a reduction in current compensation and benefits to meet academic requirements and are also paired with a mentor for career coaching.
• Launching Bridges to Healthcare, which is Novant Health's first paid program aimed at supporting the education of high school students and graduates, providing early exposure to healthcare careers. The program is expected to engage up to 180 participants over a three-year period.

Photos of Novant Health's health equity efforts are available here.

About Novant Health 
Novant Health is an integrated network of hospitals, physician clinics and outpatient facilities that delivers a seamless and convenient healthcare experience to communities in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The Novant Health network consists of more than 1,800 physicians and over 35,000 team members who provide care at more than 800 locations, including 15 hospitals and hundreds of outpatient facilities and physician clinics. In 2021, Novant Health provided more than $1.1 billion in community benefit, including financial assistance and services. 

For more information, please visit our website at NovantHealth.org. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.  

SOURCE Novant Health