community health
improving health and wellness
The saying, “A person’s health is determined more by zip code than genetic code” has been proven through research and studies to be true, especially within our community. We know that a significant portion of what contributes to a child’s wellness is related to the environment in which they are raised. Therefore, if we want health to improve, we have to intentionally work with the community to improve conditions related to positive health.
Consider a child with asthma who may receive medication and education from a pediatrician, but lives in a home with mold, pests and secondhand smoke. These factors can cause the child’s asthma to become uncontrolled. Social determinants of health such as poverty, lack of quality affordable housing, exposure to violence and neglect, and food insecurity are critical to detracting from a child’s health and wellbeing. This is why community health is important.
Dayton Children’s has a history of engaging with the community and working to improve health conditions through our community health programs. However, through the creation of the Center for Health Equity, we have taken our commitment to optimal health for all children to the next level with a deep investment in resources, research, strategy and structure.
The Center for Health Equity employs new and innovative approaches to reduce disparities and improve community health. Every decision, initiative and program is anchored to data, outcomes and evaluation. The Center supports the hospital’s transformation from a health care delivery organization to an institution of wellness by:
- Recognizing where health disparities exist
- Identifying health outcomes to improve
- Supporting clinical staff in health equity improvement activities
- Researching and evaluating interventions to decrease disparities
Dayton Children’s is committed to creating community-based programs to address the social determinants of health including the Family Resource Connection, and the Dayton Asthma Alliance. As the Center for Health Equity grows and engages the community to identify priorities and interests, our programming will continue to evolve to meet those needs.
featured programs and initiatives for personalized patient care
With the right people in place, we can deliver data driven, culturally appropriate patient care to ensure more equitable patient outcomes. Personalizing an experience that considers the diverse experience and unique situations of each family is necessary to achieve health equity. We work hard to identify and eliminate barriers to optimal health by locating clinics and health centers in easily accessible geographic regions, expanding our hours and access to services, including telehealth, and by offering interpreter services. We care for the whole child by screening for social needs and connecting families to community resources as necessary. We look at our clinical data to identify inequities among our patients and work to address them.
- Community Health Workers – Dayton Children’s employs community health workers who serve patient families in our primary care and specialty pediatrics clinics. Community health workers engage directly with families and serve as a link between the hospital, social services, and the community. Our community health workers work with families to improve health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities including health education, outreach, social support, and advocacy while meeting patient families often in their home or community environments.
- Care Coordinators – Care Coordinators focus on building relationships, removing barriers, and solving problems for patients with complex care needs. Care Coordinators work with all who are involved a patient’s care, including schools, insurance companies, community groups and the health care team, to remove barriers and help make sure a patient meets their care goals.
- Social Needs Screening and Resource Connection – Research shows that when basic social needs are not met, families can’t focus on health issues. To address these issues, Dayton Children’s screens for unmet social needs – like food, housing, and transportation – and connects families with community resources through various team members including community health workers, care coordinators, social workers and our Family Resource Connection program.
- Clinical Informatics – To eliminate health disparities, capturing how patients self-identify and experience health outcomes differently is essential. In the pursuit of health equity, our clinical informatics team is committed to building a data infrastructure to identify health disparities and provide actionable information to help clinicians and hospital staff address health inequities within our patient population.
our community’s needs
Dayton Children’s evaluates the status of our region’s pediatric health every three years through a Community Health Needs Assessment.
keeping kids safe
Safe Kids Greater Dayton is one of more than 300 state and local coalitions formed as part of Safe Kids Worldwide. Safe Kids Worldwide is the first national organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury.
here when you need us
Whether you’re looking for the right provider, ready to make an appointment, or need care right now—we’re here to help you take the next step with confidence.
