Pardee Hospital elected to participate in The Duke Endowment’s Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas initiative

Press release:

 Pardee Hospital has been awarded a $450,000 grant from The Duke Endowment to help improve health in Henderson County over three years. The Henderson County Partnership for Health, a diverse group of community organizations working collaboratively, is now one of 10 participants in The Duke Endowment’s initiative, Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas.

Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas is an initiative of The Duke Endowment. The program takes a bold approach to addressing chronic health issues, such as unhealthy weight, diabetes and heart disease. Pardee Hospital has been selected to lead a coalition of leaders from a wide spectrum of community organizations in developing ways to engage residents in improving their health. Participating communities will continuously share and learn from each other as part of a unique learning collaborative.

Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas is now expanding to five new counties—including Henderson County—with plans to expand throughout the Carolinas over the coming years. The initiative began in early 2016 in five diverse North Carolina regions—Catawba, Chatham, Granville/Vance, Montgomery/Richmond and Wilkes counties.

Research shows that North Carolina ranks 31st among all states when it comes to the overall health of its residents, with two-thirds of residents considered overweight or obese. Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas recognizes that health and well-being are created and sustained not just through individual and clinical efforts, but through the cooperation and support of the extended local community.

“Where we live, where we go to school and work, how we spend our free time—even our ability to access fresh food and safely exercise near our homes—all contribute to our health and well-being,” said Johnna Reed, chief administrative officer of Pardee Hospital. “To truly improve health within our community, we have to expand how we think about what affects our health. It’s more than just what we eat and how many calories we burn. It’s how our community and its economy impact our health. We are intentional in our effort to genuinely collaborate and learn with residents, neighborhoods, nonprofits, government organizations, and healthcare professionals. This endowment and expert resources will go a long way to foster such an inclusive approach.”

Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas provides opportunities to bring together leaders from hospitals, health departments and other health-promoting organizations. A crucial first step—and one that is funded by The Duke Endowment’s grant—is to strengthen the infrastructure of the local coalitions that are coordinating the effort, so that they’re well-positioned to identify and implement interventions that work.

“The health challenges facing the Carolinas have been decades in the making,” said Lin Hollowell, Director of Health Care of The Duke Endowment. “They cannot be effectively addressed overnight, though we’re starting to see the roots of progress take hold in the first set of Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas communities. The health challenges also cannot be solved by individuals and organizations working alone. Through Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas, communities can work together to confront their problems and make the most progress in achieving solutions.”

Representatives from the coalitions will participate in a learning collaborative with opportunities to share information with each other as they develop best practices for organizing, planning and implementing evidence-based programs known to improve health.

“The coalitions selected by the Endowment are intentionally diverse and unique,” said Laura Edwards of Population Health Improvement Partners, the North Carolina-based organization that provides expert assistance to each local coalition. “While there will be many opportunities for exchanging ideas, each community will receive support to pave its own path forward. The hope is that eventually the lessons of these coalitions can inform the work of others throughout the Carolinas.”

Based in Charlotte, N.C., and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. Since its founding, it has awarded more than $3 billion in grants.

Pardee Hospital is a not-for-profit community hospital founded in 1953 and is managed by UNC Health Care. The hospital is licensed for 222 acute care beds. Pardee Hospital has several locations separate from the main campus, including a comprehensive physician practice network, two urgent care locations and five orthopedic clinics. For more information or to find a physician, visit pardeehospital.org.