Jefferson Health Launches Community Health Worker Academy to Enhance Patient Care
Becker's Hospital Review
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Contributed by: Kate Gamble
Summary
Jefferson Health in Philadelphia has introduced a Community Health Worker Academy to enhance patient experiences and reduce the workload of healthcare providers by training community health workers (CHWs) from diverse backgrounds. Launched in April 2023, the program recruits individuals without prior healthcare experience but who have relevant lived experiences, providing them with a 13-month training period before integrating them into clinical teams. This initiative has expanded the CHW workforce from 12 to 40 in two years, enabling CHWs to assist patients with healthcare navigation, social resource connections, and telehealth support, leading to improved patient satisfaction and more efficient care delivery.
