Nationwide Children’s Hospital Awarded $100,000 Hearst Health Prize

The program works to create positive health outcomes for children by targeting affordable housing, education, health and wellness, safe and accessible neighborhoods, and workforce development. It has improved the health status and reduced unnecessary health utilization and costs for children in Columbus, Ohio’s South Side neighborhood.

Relative to two propensity-matched neighborhoods, those in the program experienced greater decreases in rates of emergency department use and probability of inpatient admission, as well as a smaller increase in the average length of stay for those admitted. Watch the video of their presentation, and view the poster.

“Part of the Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families value proposition is its unique way of approaching the neighborhood like we would a patient, which naturally means it requires many partners to succeed,” Dr. Kelleher explains. “Rev. John Edgar and Community Development for All People, the city of Columbus, the United Way, my colleagues at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and especially the South Side residents are the heartbeat of this effort.”

Kelleher also lauds the other finalists’ “inspired efforts” as impressive, transformational and lifting the work of population health. The three winners join an esteemed list of Hearst Health Prize finalists.

Leading up to Tuesday’s announcement, JCPH faculty reviewed and rated the submissions, which were then shared with a national panel of expert judges who selected the finalists and the winner.

This marks the fifth year of the award, which highlights and recognizes programs that do outstanding work in improving health outcomes. Previous winners have focused on care coordination for low-income patients, incorporating behavioral health into primary care, housing as a health intervention, and end-of-life care.

Two other finalists for the 2020 Hearst Health Prize were each awarded $25,000. They are:

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for American Indian Health – Family Spirit: Working in partnership with Native American communities, the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health has developed, implemented and evaluated promising solutions to reduce health disparities facing Native Americans through its Family Spirit program. It is currently the largest, most rigorous and only evidence-based home visiting program designed for pregnant and parenting Native American families.

The program has been proven successful across three randomized controlled trials to improve parenting knowledge and self-efficacy; reduce parenting stress and maternal psychological risks that could impede positive parenting; and improve children’s social, emotional and behavioral development. Watch the video of their presentation, and view the poster.

Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute – Project Dulce: The Project Dulce program is designed to improve health and access to care for underserved, ethnically diverse people with diabetes. It provides interpersonal and digital clinical management support while trained peer educators deliver culturally appropriate diabetes self-management education and support.

Studies evaluating the program have demonstrated positive effects on clinical, behavioral and cost outcomes, including greater improvements in hemoglobin A1c and blood pressure across 10 months relative to standard care. Project Dulce has served more than 20,000 ethnically diverse (65% Hispanic) patients in San Diego County. Alameda County Public Health Services and Adventist Health in Central Valley have successfully replicated the model in California. Watch the video of their presentation, and view the poster.