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ChristianaCare partnership seeks to improve patient access to social services

ChristianaCare

ChristianaCare is teaming up with a technology company to help connect health and social service providers with underserved populations in New Castle County.

 

Unite Delaware is a partnership between ChristianaCare and Unite US.

The program allows a doctor who identifies a patient need to see if that patient follows through with a referral for non-medical support - such as assistance with housing, clothing or food according to Erin Booker, the Vice President of Community Health and Engagement at ChristianaCare. 

"Not only do I get to sit with the patient and do a screening and understand all of their needs- in one time I can sit down with them and do multiple referrals," said Booker. "Then I can see where that referral was picked up, at what time, by what employee of that agency, and then they close the referral out"

She says this is a valuable resource.

"So, it's this really important capability for us to be able to really track all the way through the process," said Booker. "Not only do we know that it worked, but we also get the really valuable information of knowing when it doesn't work and understanding where in our community we have gaps in services so we know how to partner together with our Community Partners and closes those gaps."

Booker adds 25 organizations are currently involved in Unite Delaware including the Delaware Housing Alliance, Friendship House and Connections.

She says they’d like to get more organizations involved, and have invited over 40 others including Nemours and St. Francis to see the platform and get educated on it.

Booker says the goal is to go statewide, but the state’s Dept. of Health and Social Services says its still learning about Unite Delaware and not ready to comment about it. 

Joe brings over 20 years of experience in news and radio to Delaware Public Media and the All Things Considered host position. He joined DPM in November 2019 as a reporter and fill-in ATC host after six years as a reporter and anchor at commercial radio stations in New Castle and Sussex Counties.