Sponsor Spotlight: Novant Health

In our Sponsor Spotlight series, CBI highlights our relationships with our sponsors, and the work they are doing to build a more equitable and just community within their own spheres of influence. Today’s Sponsor Spotlight focuses on Novant Health.

Novant Health is a not-for-profit integrated network of hospitals, physician clinics and outpatient facilities serving communities in the Carolinas. Our commitment to the Community Building Initiative (CBI) is important because this initiative exists to improve the health of our communities, one person at a time. Our core values of diversity, inclusion and equity, as well as courage, align with the mission of CBI. We know these values are not optional, and we need to act boldly in making the changes necessary to achieve our mission, vision and promise of delivering remarkable healthcare. We also recognize how we address challenges and opportunities in the Charlotte area has an impact in communities across our footprint and our state.

Healthcare is our mission; community is our passion. Our strategy for everything we do at Novant Health starts with the patient. How can we eliminate their pain points? What do they need and how can we change to meet those needs?

Health doesn’t begin and end with one doctor’s appointment. It is impacted by so many more factors that determine the possibility for chronic health problems. These include adverse childhood experiences, unstable housing and food instability, among many others. These social determinants of health are non-medical factors that influence health outcomes.

We know that there are healthcare disparities and populations of historically marginalized people. A more equitable future through the lens of Novant Health reflects understanding health equity gaps and closing those gaps by removing barriers to healthcare and improving the overall health and wellness of all communities. We have been investing in community clinics, mobile health units and innovative wellness initiatives with the help of our community partners. This is to ensure vital access to primary and preventive care is available where and when our communities need us.

Novant Health is also working to normalize disability in healthcare and foster an environment of inclusion through many initiatives. We held simulation exercises where our team members experienced accessing health services as a person living with a disability. We also developed communication aid toolkits with resources that support diverse communication needs for individuals with significant vision and hearing disabilities, as well as offer interpreter services to further support communication needs such as American Sign Language.

As we continue to make progress, it is important to incorporate the perspectives of our community members. Novant Health launched a disability community voice council comprised of patients and community organizations with the purpose to advise Novant Health about our approach on building an inclusive, accessible environment for people with disabilities.

Additional efforts focused on expanding access to those with disabilities include a current in-depth look into our facilities to find ways we can create more accessible physical environments at our locations beyond Americans with Disabilities Act standards, as well as exploring technology to provide a better experience through digital accessibility.

We can’t achieve these changes alone. That’s why our partnerships, including the Community Building Initiative, are so vital. We can leverage our collective knowledge and resources for a healthier future.