Henry Schein Inc. recently launched Prevention is Power, a multi-year public health awareness campaign from the Henry Schein Cares Foundation Inc. (HSCF) to help improve health literacy and strengthen patient utilization of integrated, preventive care, with the goal of reducing incidences of chronic diseases as well as overall health care spending. HSCF is a philanthropic vehicle that advocates and supports efforts to advance health equity and empower health care professionals to promote a healthier tomorrow.
Established in 2008, HSCF fosters a rich culture of giving back to society and serving others. It advocates and supports efforts to advance health equity and empower health care professionals to promote a healthier tomorrow for all people around the world through advancing access to care, promoting a holistic model of health care, building capacity to empower health care professionals, and catalyzing innovative models for emergency preparedness and response.
The HSCF is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
The need for concerted action is clear. According to studies by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Commonwealth Fund, and others, despite spending more on health care than any other high-income country, overall health outcomes in the U.S. trail those in its peer countries. It is well established that patient utilization of routine preventive health care leads to better population health outcomes as well as lower overall health care costs. Yet too few Americans are benefitting from this systemic approach to care. A recent HSCF-commissioned poll of 2,000 Americans found that 64% of respondents only go to a physician or dentist when something feels “extremely wrong,” 53% said it is difficult to access health care, and 35% felt more information and education about the importance of screenings and routine care would be beneficial.
“The great power of integrated care is that it recognizes each patient as a unique series of interconnected systems — medical, dental, and mental health — that each contribute to that individual’s overall health and wellbeing,” said Stanley M. Bergman, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Henry Schein Inc. “By shifting the mindset away from one in which people only go to the doctor when feeling sick, to one in which people regularly access a continuum of preventive health care, we can help reduce health disparities, promote equity, and create healthier communities.”
To achieve the campaign’s goals, HSCF is partnering with a diverse cross-section of leading medical and dental provider associations, including the American Dental Association (ADA), American Medical Association (AMA), National Medical Association (NMA), The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), and other trusted organizations.
The campaign is kicking off with the Prevention is Power Health Care Screening Program, in partnership with NACHC, through which HSCF will provide grants and health care product donations to six community health centers across the U.S.: CHEMED Health (Lakewood, New Jersey), Portland Community Health Center (Portland, Maine), Lamprey Health Care (Newmarket, New Hampshire), Northeast Valley Health Corporation (San Fernando, California), Neighborhood Health (Nashville, Tennessee), and Zufall Health (Dover, New Jersey).
HSCF will also identify and support incentives and strategies to promote patient engagement with wellness visits and screening services. As non-communicable diseases disproportionately affect the most vulnerable populations, community health centers are key partners in Prevention is Power’s efforts to promote screening services and preventive care for these individuals.
In addition, HSCF has partnered with the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy Foundation which, with a team of graduate students, will collect data from participating community health centers and evaluate the impact and efficacy of the Health Care Screening Program.
In the second phase of the program, expected to launch in Q4 2024, Prevention is Power will develop and implement pilot programs to bring new patients to regular primary care and oral care. These pilot programs, in targeted geographies, will use an agile approach by testing and measuring the impact of various public health awareness outreach models to different populations. The campaign will also provide tools for clinicians in private practice and larger health systems. Bergman noted, “Through a rigorous set of programs and pilots, Prevention is Power seeks to develop best practices for generating improved patient engagement and increased utilization of routine preventive care.”
For more information, visit henryschein.com/hscaresfoundation.
