FirstHealth of the Carolinas – 2020 Vision

Pinehurst, NC
December 2017

Overview
In 2007, FirstHealth of the Carolinas adopted a 2020 Vision, “Working Together First-In-Quality, First-In-Health.” As a result, FirstHealth monitors population health data through a detailed community health needs assessment that has been conducted in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015. To assist in achieving this vision, FirstHealth established four county-based First-In­ Health 2020 collaborative groups in 2007. With groups in Hoke, Montgomery, Moore and Richmond counties, collaborative partners include each county’s public health department, school system, school health nurses, school-based health centers, cooperative extension, housing authority, Partnership for Children, private industry, Communities-In-Schools, chamber of commerce, hospital and/or individuals at-large.

Each collaborative reviews the health assessment data and determines three priority areas for work. Priority focus areas for the past six years include chronic disease prevention, obesity prevention and prescription drug abuse/misuse prevention. Each collaborative implements outreach activities and evidence-based interventions to address their respective focus areas.

Impact
Through 2020 Vision groups, FirstHealth and its partners have worked together to improve the overall health of the communities. Examples of success include: Moore County developed a drug-prevention effort with law enforcement as a key partner that included the installation of five permanent drop boxes for unused over-the-counter and prescription drugs within police departments. Additionally, since 2011, the collaborative hosts two Operation Medicine Drop events per year; to date more than 3.2 million pills have been collected. The 2020 groups also led “Fit” corporate challenge events in each county, which collectively engaged nearly 70 businesses and more than 1,100 individuals, and resulted in 191 million steps being walked.

Diabetes prevention is another focus area. Through the Richmond 2020 group, the National Pre­ diabetes Prevention Program was piloted, with activities continuing. To date, two classes have been offered with 10 participants. Collectively class participants have lost 217 pounds and increased their level of physical activity by 30 minutes per day.

Lessons Learned
FirstHealth has learned that while county-level collaborative work has significant impact as it can be tailored to meet specific community needs, bringing the county-level collaborative groups together also has great value in that it fosters a spirit of engagement versus competing and duplicating efforts. Partners’ engagement with outreach, program implementation and evaluation is also critical. Additionally, inviting non-traditional partners to the table helps bring fresh, new perspective to each health focus area.

Future Goals
2020 Vision groups in Montgomery and Richmond counties are implementing “The Daily Mile” in elementary schools in these counties, with a goal of impacting every elementary school in the area by 2018. This program requires schools to take 15 minutes of instructional time to allow students to run, walk or jog each day outside. As part of the project, quarter-mile walking paths have been constructed on each school campus. Currently, seven schools are actively implementing the program. Additionally, FirstHealth intends to expand pre-diabetes education efforts to five counties with a focus on minority and underserved individuals based on 2020 Vision work through glucose screening events and the provision of evidence-based pre-diabetes programs.

Contact: Chris Miller
Administrative Director, Community Health Services
Telephone: 910-715-5467
Email: cpmiller@firsthealth.org