Residents in three Indianapolis neighborhoods will soon be able to get heart screenings, heart health information, and care referrals at barbershops, beauty salons, churches and other local venues thanks to the agreement. $3.1 million partnership between IU Health Foundation and Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation.
The funding from the global company will support the Indianapolis Health Equity, Access, outReach and Treatment (iHEART) partnership, which IU Health has established with the Indiana Institute of Clinical and Transformational Sciences, the IUPUI Polis Center and the Fairbanks School of Public Health to address health inequalities that lead to higher rates of cardiovascular disease in underserved areas.
The Novartis Foundation will authorize a three-year project to provide screening, referral, and treatment services to individuals living in three medically unconcerned Indianapolis neighborhoods: Meadows/Martindale-Brightwood, District Northwestern United States/Riverside and Near Southeast.
Medical, research and community engagement teams will travel to residential gathering locations to provide services such as blood pressure checks, body mass index measurements, and glucose, lipid, and hemoglobin testing A1C at the point of care. Groups will also provide resources and education on cardiovascular health, as well as connections to social services and subsequent clinical care.
Additionally, public forums in the neighborhood will raise awareness of important health issues like high blood pressure and provide information on heart health, self-management tools, and resources. other force.
“This is a great example of diverse organizations coming together to address the root causes of poor health in communities,” said IU Health Foundation Funding Director Cassandra Tice. “Our partners at IU Health’s Office of Health Equity Research & Engagement informed us of Novartis’ interest in addressing health inequities, which we agreed to collaborated to develop a plan, and IU Health invited partners to build a coalition that has a real impact on heart health.”
The long-term goal of iHEART is to create a scalable model for addressing chronic diseases statewide and nationally.
Learn more here about IU Health Foundation’s work to provide care outside the walls of hospitals and in the community.
