b'rallying cry: We will be the ones to make our communitylevel of care requires funding, but for this team and their one of the healthiest in the Southeast.colleagues, the question is never whether they should make the effort, but how. It is simply the right thing to doeven From Norman and Sylvia Samets historic $3 million giftwhen it means the system must look inward.to fund heart and vascular expansion to a $500,000 unrestricted gift from the Bell family, community membersWere not shy about looking at our data, especially are helping Cone Health act on its promise to remainregarding disparities, Randolph says. If you dont look for innovative, increase access and equip our neighbors, fromthings, you dont find them, and the numbers dont lie. We one ZIP code to the next, with resources for wellness.look to find where quality metrics could improve; disparities help us to bring a name to it and come up with an action All of the great innovationsplan. If you just ignore it and put your head in the sand, that were providingthings will never change.require funding, Tobb says. Between Widening our spectrum ofAs a Black woman, thats one thing Tobb values the most 5%-15%care from treating peopleabout Cone Health. who have illness to treating of cancerthose at risk for illnessHealth equity is not just a term, its part of the strategy and tactics were implementing as a system, she says, means we are trying to patients whoreach more people in moreand the same goes for women in medicine. Just as Cone Health champions equitable care across the community, survive thestrategic ways. This kind ofits leadership fosters a strong spirit of inclusion. Nationally, prevention work does not disease willtypically reimburse well, butwomen make up about 12% of the care providers in cardiology. Here, we have as many women in leadership its incredibly important for develop heartour communities. as men, if not more, according to Tobb, who praises the collaboration and shared vision in serving community failure.An example from Tobbsmembers: the call to do the right thing.area: Women who have gestational diabetesIts not just about today, its about what kind of impact we or preeclampsia facewant to make for the next generation, Tobb says. If we an increased risk ofwant a strong community and a strong future workforce, cardiovascular disease, aswe have to invest now in equitable, innovative care that do their children.educates and equips the next generation to be healthy. We have to make that success in the community, with the We want to be there for those moms and kids, and that iscommunity and through the community. not the kind of thing that an insurance company reimburses for, Tobb explains. Without donor contributions, we wontAs our population increases, the demand is great, but the be able to have as big of an impact on our community aspotential for prevention is greater. we would like to. We will be the ones to go into the community, Tobb Cone Health doctors dont want to wait for children toreiterates. Thats exactly what were doing. Dr. Randolph become ill and then respond; they want to act now to keepDr. Turner, Dr. Acharya, myselfwere out there actually the next generation wellprecisely why the preventiontalking to the people, listening to them and making sure mindset is bold. they know whats available to them to keep them healthy.Health equity is another example. At Cone Health, its a verb.This includes primary care physicians. The cardiovascular Randolph, Tobb, Turner, Acharya and their colleagues areteam increases awareness among the medical community taking action, and their health equity measures demonstrateoutside its hospital walls. Your primary may not be just how important prevention truly is.thinking as much about particular risk factors and or the fact that there is a new screening tool that can detect early If you look at ZIP codes in east Greensboro comparedcoronary disease and treat their patients before an event to the west side, youll see a huge gap in life expectancy.happens, Turner says. Were hoping to cut that gap so that everybody can have a good quality of life, Tobb says. The system is standingCommunity engagement is part of the legacy they want to behind that work. Were all asking, How do we doctorleave. That, and putting our region on the map for the rest differently now? What do we do to give the patient a senseof the world, as a model for community-based care.of self-management and self-integrity? We used to useWeve been on the map historically with the pioneering terms like frequent flyer or no show, but now we have awork of Dr. LeBauer, Dr. Brodie and Dr. Stuckey, Acharya transform mindset. We ask, Why didnt the person comesays. Lets do that again. Lets reinvigorate that legacy with and how could we help them? the innovative programs and incredible physician talent we Projects that break down barriers involve redefining howhave at Cone Health Heart & Vascular. a health system cares for its community members. This 14Cone Health Philanthropy'