Blog
Housing as a determinant of health
Mr. R. recovered from recent neck surgery by doing rehabilitation at a local nursing home. And, even though he’s recovered, he’s still there. He is in the middle of a housing crisis that has left him homeless and me incredulous that finding safe, affordable housing in Camden is nearly impossible. Mr. R is a 60 Read More….
Communities find a voice in healthcare debate
The sharp, metallic chimes of our alarm clocks echoed down the hallway. “Hey, Kerry!” the group sung out in unison as we approached the Massachusetts’ Senator’s office. “Wake up!” I traveled to D.C. on November 17, 2011, with a group of organizers and community leaders representing the People Improving Communities through Organizing (PICO) National Network. Read More….
What Does “Non-Compliance” Mean?
I always wondered about “non-compliance.” In my medical school training, this discussion comes up all of the time. We create plans with patients and at the next visit they have been unable to complete the plans. Take, for example, determining the proper insulin dosage for patients with Type 2 Diabetes. To do this effectively, we Read More….
Discovering Camden with the Care Management Team
While we walked through the neighborhood, I noticed that many of the houses were boarded up. Some houses were covered with graffiti and the streets were littered with garbage and pieces of glass. I was nervous and uncomfortable—I thought to myself how my brief AmeriCorps training had not prepared me for this kind of work—and Read More….
Violence in Camden, Support Groups offer Hope
The Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers focuses on healthcare in the city. As my piece, I focus on the disease of violence. Like disease, violence can be both chronic and acute; it infects others by eating away at the core values and integrity of people and communities. To talk about violence and Camden in the Read More….
My First Month in Camden
Our shiny red Hyundai bumped over huge potholes as John and I sat in silence on our way to our first diabetes education class. It was only the second time either of us had travelled to North Camden. The last time we visited, during our orientation as AmeriCorps volunteers, we were warned it was one Read More….
An ACO is Born in Camden, But Can It Flourish in Medicaid?
by Jeffrey Brenner, MD and Nikki Highsmith, published on HealthAffairs.org/blog Across the country, policy experts are heralding accountable care organizations (ACOs) as the way to rethink the delivery of higher quality and more efficient care. Yet Medicaid, which cares for many of the nation’s sickest and highest-cost patients, has been largely absent from the ACO Read More….
