Cleveland Clinic and Unite Us are teaming up to connect Northeast Ohio
Through this platform, Cleveland Clinic will enhance its ability to serve patients experiencing mental health issues and access to housing, food, employment or other health determinants by directly connecting them with community organizations to address these needs, monitoring at the same time the results and the impact on the health of individuals.
Referral of patients to community social care organizations helps address health equity, racial disparities, and the social determinants of health that, according to the National Academy of Medicine, account for 80 percent of a person's overall health. By integrating the Unite Us technology platform, Cleveland Clinic will be part of a national coordinated care network and Unite Ohio state coordinated care network.
“By engaging with like-minded partners, we can make a difference in creating a healthier community for everyone,” said Adam Myers, MD, Director of Population Health at the Cleveland Clinic. “This new platform enables us to better connect patients with community-based organizations that we work with to meet these needs. This connectivity is essential to ensure these needs are addressed and to better understand the impact of these partnerships.”
All Cleveland Clinic patients regardless of insurance are eligible for this support. Services in Ashland, Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Huron, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit and Wayne counties in Ohio are included in the plan. Community resources and organizations that Cleveland Clinic can track through this platform are the Benjamin Rose Institute, Better Health Partnership, Greater Cleveland Food Bank, Home Instead Senior Care, and United Way of Greater Cleveland.
“We know that many of our patients struggle with health-related social needs that limit their ability to achieve optimal health and wellness,” said Nazleen Bharmal, MD, Ph.D., MPP, Associate Chief of Community Health & Partnerships at Cleveland Clinic. . “Through this effort and with regional community partners, we will increase our reach and effectiveness in addressing these individual needs.”
The implementation of the program is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2021.
Cleveland Clinic's commitment to the community will strengthen the region for generations. Recent efforts that demonstrate health system commitment include the implementation of a school-based health care program. Providing high-speed internet to surrounding neighborhoods; Joining OneTen, a coalition of organizations committed to training, hiring and advancing one million Black Americans over the next 10 years into family-supporting jobs with opportunities for advancement. Expansion of the ASPIRE Nursing Scholars Program. investing in the JobsOhio initiative; and delivering Thanksgiving dinners to the community.
