Inova Schar Heart and Vascular addresses healthcare disparities in Fairfax County by educating underserved populations about important health information in line with the county’s community health improvement plan.
Inova team members, including nurses, advanced practice providers, physicians, cardiac rehabilitation specialists and administrative staff, volunteer their weekends to provide free healthcare services and screenings at community events, aiming to bring equitable healthcare to underserved communities.
Last year, the team provided free electrocardiogram screenings, blood pressure checks and educational sessions at 11 events, focusing on the needs of Black and Hispanic populations.
This initiative began in 2020 when Inova Schar Heart and Vascular formed the equity, healthcare disparities and outreach committee, led by Sharmaine McCoy, DNP, NP, an Inova Fairfax Hospital cardiac critical care nurse practitioner who already had strong ties to local community outreach efforts.
While providing care at events, McCoy and the team emphasize the importance of clear communication to help patients understand and discuss the details of their condition with healthcare providers for the care they need including requesting an interpreter.
According to McCoy, “Data extracted from our electronic health records at Inova Alexandria Hospital showed a high readmission rate for congestive heart failure diagnosis and a high frequency of amputations, particularly among African American patients. As a result, we focus outreach efforts on educating about valvular heart disease, aortic stenosis, atrial fibrillation, the importance of taking blood pressure medications and more.”
Inova Schar Heart and Vascular’ s community outreach volunteers will continue this unwavering commitment to improving health literacy among underserved populations and building trust in the healthcare system.
Learn more about the expert, comprehensive care at Inova Schar Heart and Vascular.
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