Health, Hope & Opportunity

HEALTH HOPE OPPORTUNITY

SUMMER 2022

Exploring the Virtual Care Frontier Many of us have become familiar with telehealth services since the onset of COVID. But Cherry Health started working on telehealth long before 2020. We were already conducting video visits with patients in 2018, specifically to provide more access to psychiatric care and the medications needed to treat mental health conditions. We were also building effective ways to incorporate this kind of service into our patient care model.

Then along came COVID, and health care access became a challenge for a lot more people.

Fortunately, government funding was available so that organizations like ours could invest in remote care capabilities. We ramped up our video visits, but knew we needed more. We wanted to move toward a more comprehensive model of virtual care that helped more patients better manage their overall health (see graphic).

This model would help eliminate barriers like transportation, childcare, or being homebound.

Next Frontier

Remote Monitoring:

tools that record and send data to provider automatically

(Ex: continuous glucose monitoring tool)

Mobile Health:

tools for independent gathering of health information (Ex: mobile health kit)

Virtual Visit:

provider and patient on video call

We competed for and won a coveted Optimizing Virtual Care federal grant in March of this year.

Only 29 health care providers across the nation received one of these grants. It allowed us to purchase significant equipment for Mobile Health and Remote Monitoring. However, Cherry Health needs to design, build, and pay for all of the information technology and processes to integrate virtual care tools and data into our patient health tracking systems.

We, along with the other grant awardees, are working together to share what we learn as we build technology solutions. We are proud to be one of the nation’s leaders in providing equitable health care access using virtual care resources.

With the support of our donors, we look forward to expanding the frontiers of virtual care.

“WE ARE NOT WAITING FOR THE FUTURE; WE ARE BUILDING IT.” CATHY WEIRICK, GRANTS MANAGER

Rerouting Children’s Health Journeys More on our ACEs Work In our last newsletter, we introduced the framework of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). These happen before a person’s 18th birthday and cause what is known as toxic stress.

They can include sexual or physical abuse, hunger, parental separation or divorce, and other things. The more ACEs a child experiences, the more likely they are to develop chronic disease as an adult, as well as social and emotional problems.

Thanks to donor gifts, Cherry Health has been able to hire two new pediatric therapists and institute more intentional screening for ACEs. When a pediatrician’s screening identifies a young patient who is

experiencing these life challenges, that child can meet a therapist right in the same building. Why is this so critical? The effects of toxic stress do not disappear. They manifest themselves later in life with serious and costly challenges like heart disease, cancer, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, or suicide.

Early intervention can help prevent many of the health challenges that erode quality of life and consume significant health care dollars.

Our therapists are there to work with the children and their families to help address the issues as well as connect them to other resources, such as food and housing support, when needed.

In addition to hiring two therapists, we have also partnered with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Kent County to co-locate their services in our Heart of the City health center.

The CAC specializes in helping children who are the victims of sexual abuse. If one of our young patients needs their services, the CAC will be conveniently located and available to help. Conversely, if children who are going to the CAC need medical, dental or vision care, they will be able to receive it from Cherry Health.

Bob Smith, Director of Behavioral Health, Therapy at Cherry Health is pretty clear about why this work matters.

“WE ARE PROVIDING HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. IF THERE WAS NO HOPE, WHY SCREEN? WE ARE HEADING OFF LIFELONG HEALTH PROBLEMS WHEN WE SCREEN FOR, DETECT AND HELP CHILDREN WORK THROUGH THE ISSUES.” BOB SMITH

If you are interested in learning more or getting involved in this exciting work, please email annagoddard@cherryhealth.com or call 616.965.8217.

20 22 D ON O R I M PAC T R E P ORT Donations are an important part of our work. They allow us to invest additional dollars where they are most needed: • For essential yet unreimbursed services • Infrastructure and facilities improvements • Testing innovative solutions to bridge health care gaps or improve outcomes Following are just a few examples of how your giving made a difference. Thank you for your support!

Improving Health UNREIMBURSED CARE We invest $335 (on average) in each patient visit. The reimbursement from insured patients covers some of that amount. For those who are underinsured or without insurance, we offer a sliding scale fee structure starting at $15 per visit. Philanthropy helps us fill the overall revenue gap so we can provide essential care.

11,012 Patients Served PRESCRIPTION ASSISTANCE Following through on a health plan may involve prescriptions. However, they can be expensive.

Our pharmacy negotiates great pricing, and donor gifts make up the difference when cost is a barrier to patient health.

853 Prescriptions Filled

Going Beyond Immediate Health CLUBHOUSES The stigma, rejection, and isolation that accompany mental illness are often as damaging and debilitating as the illness itself. Sheldon House in Kent County and Lakeside in Ottawa County provide support, opportunity and resources to adults with mental illness. The Clubhouse model offers a supportive, respectful, and engaging atmosphere where members are encouraged to take ownership in the daily operations of the facility to build skills, celebrate accomplishments, and regain self-confidence. With the help of professional staff, members have a place to feel accepted, needed and supported.

MEDICAL-LEGAL PARTNERSHIP We all know that excessive stress can have damaging health impacts. Legal issues, in particular, can cause an immense amount of emotional stress as well as hardship and cost. Donor gifts help us fund a partnership with Legal Aid of Western Michigan so that Cherry Health clients can receive assistance with legal issues such as landlord disputes, child custody, foreclosure and much more.

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2 02 2 D ON O R I M PAC T R E P ORT ( c o n t i n u e d ) Innovative Programs Psychiatrist

Behavioral Health Care Managers

Patients

We have thousands of primary care patients with mild to moderate behavioral health needs, and no way to get them all an appointment with a psychiatrist. We are piloting a new program in which a Behavioral Health Care Manager in the primary care office can spend time assessing the patient and then act as the go-between with the psychiatrist to get medication recommendations. This model is very similar to the way a nurse practitioner works with a physician. It helps stretch the benefit of psychiatric care to more people and hopefully keep them from ending up in crisis while waiting for an appointment. Donor gifts allowed us to hire our first Behavioral Health Care Manager in November 2021, and she has built a patient caseload of 26 as we work out systems with providers and payors.

Cherry Health Foundation Board of Trustees India Manns, Chair Patti Griswold, Vice Chair Ann Liefer, Treasurer Elizabeth Joy Fossel, Secretary Armando Herrera Shelley Irwin Dr. Lisa M. Lowery

Peaches McCahill Jessica Payne Alexis Reame Robert L. Tolbert, Jr. Elizabeth Triezenberg Carroll Velie

100 Cherry Street SE Grand Rapids MI 49503 cherryhealth.org/donate

We gratefully acknowledge the variety of goods and services that were also given by donors.

These gifts extend our budget dollars while helping patients and employees.

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New Approaches to Managing Mental Health It is no secret that mental and behavioral health needs are escalating. What may be less well known is the dramatic shortage of psychiatrists when that level of care is needed. That is why, with donor support, we are making a big investment in something we call the Collaborative Care Model. We instituted a pilot program in 2021 and it is starting to gain traction.

What is the concept?

01

We are creating an efficient alternative for patients needing psychiatric care by adding a Behavioral Health Care Manager to a medical practice. That Care Manager can handle a caseload of roughly 60 patients while requiring only a few hours per month of psychiatrist time. This stretches the psychiatric resources to benefit a lot more patients.

How does it work?

02

If the primary care provider diagnoses a patient with a mild to moderate case of depression or anxiety, the Behavioral Health Care Manager can be brought right into the exam room. That Care Manager does a thorough assessment, and then collaborates with a psychiatrist to make recommendations for medication or behavior changes.

Then the Care Manager circles back with the primary care provider for sign-off on the plan.

What is the need?

03

Our pilot program is focused on three of our 60 primary care physicians and their patients.

In just five months, almost 100 patients from those three providers received screening scores indicating that they might benefit from the program. Based on that small sampling, we know there are hundreds more.

Why is it better?

04

While many primary care providers have general knowledge of how to treat mental health issues, they need help if a patient does not respond.

This approach helps keep cases from becoming more severe (and more costly) by treating them immediately instead of waiting for a psychiatric care appointment. Thus far, 76% of our patients have seen an improvement.

Is it sustainable?

05

We have worked closely with insurance companies to ensure that this approach will be covered. We are “building the plane as we fly it” but we are seeing sustainable progress and real potential to launch the program at more sites as the pilot phase comes to a close.

Donor gifts made this pilot program possible. If you would like to get involved, please contact the Foundation Office at foundation@cherryhealth.com or 616.965.8217.

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Unmasking Diabetes If you look up Consumers Credit Union online, you will quickly find that they have a friendly, family-oriented

approach to banking. When you become a member at

one of their 24 Michigan locations, you become part of a big family.

One benefit of family is that they are there when you

need them. That committed approach toward customer

service and support makes Consumers a perfect match for Cherry Health.

Lynne Jarman-Johhnson, Consumers' Chief Marketing Officer, recently emceed our Prescription: Strength

event, which focused on diabetes prevention and care.

Just like a family member, she shared some very

personal information about her own health and why Consumers supports Cherry Health.

“Sometimes diabetes sneaks up on you,” Lynne said.

Helping the People Who Help People Cherry Health employs more than 800 people. Since we are a nonprofit organization, our employees make a financial sacrifice to work here. They do it because they are dedicated to meeting the needs of our community.

That is why it is important for us to help employees smooth out the financial bumps when life happens.

The Blue Butterfly Fund is a donor-inspired way to do just that. The Fund provides temporary emergency financial support to employees. Funding is available in $100 increments up to $1,000 per year. Here are some examples of how it has been used: When an unexpected illness led to a large hospital bill To make car repairs for transportation to work

“Other times, it can slam you overnight. It's been

When someone was unable to pay medical expenses due to spouse or partner job loss

diseases, including diabetes, for some. I know because I am one of those people. I now monitor pre-diabetes

To help make a mortgage payment and avoid foreclosure after loss of income due to extended illness

With more than 1,000,000 people in Michigan diagnosed

Paying for orthodontic surgery when a dentist broke a drill off inside a tooth

reported that COVID has contributed to an increase in

very carefully.”

with diabetes, chances are good that you, or someone

you know, is diabetic and experiencing the impact it can have on health, lifestyle, and emotional well-being.

Consumers Credit Union supports Cherry Health’s work to provide our community with awareness, education

and treatment for diabetes and other chronic diseases.

We sincerely thank them for their support, and we know

that our work will help other “family members” take good care of their health!

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“This is definitely an employee retention strategy,” says Cherry Health President and CEO Tasha Blackmon.

“COVID made us aware that financial crisis looms close for many of our employees. They’re here because they have a passion for our mission. A small gift through this Fund can help stave off disaster, while keeping them stable and working. That’s a gift to them, but also to our patients who count on them.”

Innovations in Diabetes Management In 2021, many health care organizations found that their patients’ control of blood sugar decreased.

But ours increased.

On May 17, we hosted a virtual 30-minute event called Prescription: Strength that provided current and prospective donors with an inside look at how Cherry Health tackles chronic disease management. First dates involve a lot of “get to know you” information. So, we shared some fun facts with our attendees, many of whom were “meeting” us for the first time: Cherry Health serves more than 60,000 patients in six counties.

In 2021, we received our third consecutive gold level award from the Health Resources and Services Administration.

This means Cherry Health is in the top 10% of all community health centers nationally in terms of patient outcomes.

For every $1 invested in Cherry Health, we return $5 of measurable impact.

Then we transitioned specifically to our work around diabetes.

patients with diabetes, especially in the beginning. Although many were reluctant to come to a provider’s office during the height of the pandemic, we embraced technology as a resource: Giving patients blood pressure cuffs for home monitoring Offering drive-through glucose testing

Why did our patients do so well?

First is our team-based model of health care.

Our providers, diabetic educators, pharmacists, community health workers, and behavioral health specialists all work together to educate and empower patients while removing barriers to health.

This team approach is not well compensated by insurance companies, but we know it is vital if we want our patients to achieve their health goals.

Having pharmacists call patients and explain how to use tools like insulin injections or pens Using telemedicine to replace some in-person visits Working to get continuous glucose monitors for the patients whose blood sugars are the most out of control We have taken on unreimbursed expenses because we know they impact patient outcomes. Donor gifts make so much of this work possible, and the event showcased some great examples.

We also expanded the innovative ways we provide care. COVID presented significant risks to

Want to learn more?

Scan this QR code to watch an online encore of Prescription: Strength.

Get Involved in the Mission!

Give online at cherryhealth.org/donate.

Use the enclosed envelope.

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Celebrating Our Collective Impact During National Health Center Week National Health Center Week (August 7-13, 2022) is an annual celebration dedicated to raising awareness of the mission and accomplishments of community health centers nationwide. During this week, we celebrate the unique value health centers bring to the communities we serve. Health centers like Cherry Health ensure barrier-free access to comprehensive, quality health care regardless of an individual’s insurance status or ability to pay. We are often the difference between sickness and health, despair and hope, and barriers and opportunities for our patients. You play an essential part in meeting our mission, and we encourage you to join us in recognizing this week.

The theme for this year is Community Health Centers: The Chemistry for Strong Communities. Along with the theme, each day of NHCW is dedicated to a particular focus area. If you are on social media, look for Cherry Health’s posts on each focus area and consider amplifying our message by liking and sharing our content. This will allow people in your network to see and better understand the comprehensive, quality care we provide to all.

In addition to generating awareness on social media, we are taking the time to show our appreciation for patients and staff during the week through giveaways, spirit week, and a chance for people to tell us what community health centers mean to them.

With your continued support, we provide care for those who need it most.

Your generosity changes lives and makes our innovative, award-winning services possible. During National Health Center Week and throughout the year, we celebrate you as a valued member of the health center family.

Do you want to join our work?

Plan to attend Cherry Health Celebration, an evening event presented by Cherry Health Foundation,

on November 2.

Individual and corporate sponsorships are available.

Presenting sponsor:

With gratitude, To learn more, contact Kat MacDonald at ‭616.965.8267 or foundation@cherryhealth.com

CHERRY HEALTH FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES

100 Cherry Street SE Grand Rapids MI 49503 Anna Goddard, CFRM Foundation Director 616.965.8217 Kat MacDonald Donor Relations & Events Manager 616.965.8267

India Manns, Chair Patti Griswold, Vice Chair Ann Liefer, Treasurer Elizabeth Joy Fossel, Secretary Armando Herrera Shelley Irwin Dr. Lisa M. Lowery

Peaches McCahill Jessica Payne Alexis Reame Elizabeth Triezenberg Robert L. Tolbert, Jr. Carroll Velie

To opt out of future communications, please email foundation@cherryhealth.com or call 616.965.8254.