2022 Kitty Esterly, MD, Health Equity Champion Award Received by Westside Family Healthcare
April 26, 2022
2022 Kitty Esterly, MD, Health Equity Champion Award Received by Westside Family Healthcare
Westside Family Healthcare, Wimington, Delaware – Each year, the Delaware Healthy Mother & Infant Consortium (DHMIC) honors an individual or organization that works tirelessly for the well-being of mothers and children in Delaware, as well as for the health of the community, by advancing equity through the Kitty Esterly, MD, Health Equity Champion Award. In 2022, Westside Family Healthcare (Westside) was recognized as an advocate for health equity through this award.
Westside strives to provide equal access to quality healthcare through individual healthcare services delivered by caring medical, dental, and behavioral health providers, as well as through community-based programs and services. This includes providing services essential to the well-being of mothers and children, such as prenatal care and well-child visits. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a new set of obstacles for health care providers and patients to manage. Through focused outreach and telehealth, Westside maintained or improved several measures impacting the health of pregnant and pediatric patients in 2021, compared to pre-pandemic levels. These measures include early access to prenatal care and complete, on-time childhood immunizations. To address patient needs and to ensure that all Delawareans have access to these critical services, Westside partners with organizations across the state to provide COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and education on COVID in a language that individuals understand. Westside has provided over 27,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to any interested, eligible individual, and offers pediatric and adult vaccines simultaneously.
“At Westside, advancing health equity to improve the health of our patients and our communities is an integral part of our work, every day”, said Megan Werner, MD, MPH, Associate Medical Director at Westside Family Healthcare. “We believe that everyone deserves to have access to high-quality health care, regardless of their income, language, race, ethnicity, or gender identity.”
About The Delaware Healthy Mother & Infant Consortium (DHMIC)
The Delaware Healthy Mother & Infant Consortium (DHMIC) provides statewide leadership and coordination of efforts to prevent infant mortality and to improve the health of infants and women of childbearing age throughout Delaware. DHMIC strengthens Delaware’s ability to work collaboratively to solve maternal and child health challenges.
About Westside Family Healthcare
Westside Family Healthcare is a Joint Commission Accredited non-profit community health system with locations currently in Wilmington, Northeast Wilmington, Newark, Bear/New Castle, and Dover providing care to 28,031 patients through 113,155 visits in 2021. Westside is the largest community health system in the state, providing family medical, dental, prenatal, and behavioral health services, regardless of ability to pay. Thirty-one percent of Westside Family Healthcare’s budget in 2021 comprised of Federal funds. Care is provided for all individuals, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Since March, Westside has been on the front lines responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency, supporting population health. Learn more about Westside at www.westsidehealth.org.
###
