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Nick Halliday October 11, 2021Headlines

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La Red wins $10.1 million to strengthen health care across Sussex County
The federal award will support medical records, chronic disease care, transportation and connections among health services; La Red’s Milford Wellness Village practice is one of three county locations MILFORD, Del. — La Red Health Center will receive $10.1 million in federal funding to strengthen care for patients across Sussex County, including the communities served by its practice at Milford Wellness Village. Gov. Matt Meyer and the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services announced the award Thursday as part of nearly $23 million for Delaware’s three federally qualified health centers. Westside Family Healthcare will receive $11.3 million, and Henrietta Johnson Medical Center will receive $1.29 million. How La Red plans to use the money The largest named technology project is implementation of Epic Community Connect, an electronic medical record system. The award also covers upgrades to La Red’s data systems and cybersecurity. Together, those investments are intended to give care teams better tools to track patients’ needs and coordinate treatment while protecting health information. The funding will support care coordination — helping patients navigate appointments and services when their needs extend beyond one visit or one provider. It will also support more integrated medical, behavioral health, dental and specialty care. For a patient managing several conditions, that could mean a more connected approach to treatment, though the state has not announced specific new services or a timetable for them. Another portion will go toward chronic disease management and remote patient monitoring. Remote monitoring allows a care team to follow certain health information between office visits, where appropriate, instead of relying only on measurements taken during appointments. The state has not specified which conditions La Red will monitor or how many patients will participate. Transportation is also among the funded needs. Getting to an appointment can be an obstacle for rural patients, and La Red already offers transportation assistance as part of its broader effort to connect Sussex County residents with care. The announcement did not say what additional transportation services the award will provide. What it means for Milford La Red operates at 21 W. Clarke Ave. on the former Milford Memorial Hospital campus. It was the first tenant to join Milford Wellness Village and added a six-chair dental center when it moved there, according to village founder Meir Gelley. The practice offers an entry point to primary and preventive care on a campus that brings together health and community services. The new systems and care programs could benefit patients who use that Milford practice. The state, however, described the $10.1 million as an investment in La Red’s work across Sussex County. It did not set aside a stated amount for Milford Wellness Village or announce a construction project there. La Red also operates in Georgetown and Seaford. The award comes through Delaware’s Rural Health Transformation Program, which received about $157.4 million in federal funding for its first year. The state says the wider program includes 15 projects aimed at improving access, controlling costs and strengthening the health care workforce. news.delaware.gov To Go Box What: La Red Health Center has been awarded $10.1 million for care and infrastructure improvements across Sussex County. Planned uses: Electronic medical records, care coordination, remote patient monitoring, chronic disease management, cybersecurity, transportation and integrated health services. Milford location: 21 W. Clarke Ave., at Milford Wellness Village. Appointments and information: Call 302-855-1233 or visit laredhealthcenter.org. news.delaware.gov
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Milford Wellness Village to host falls prevention program today
Free afternoon program will offer practical ways to improve balance, build strength and reduce fall risk. MILFORD, Del. — Milford Wellness Village will host a falls prevention education program today, Sept. 23, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at its conference center. The event is open to everyone. The program will bring together local health and rehabilitation providers to discuss steps people can take to stay active and independent. Sessions will cover fall prevention awareness, the role of movement and strength in reducing risk, and ways to get up and down safely. Attendees will hear about a falls reduction program at Polaris Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center and fitness strategies from AquaCare Physical Therapy. A Matter of Balance presentation will focus on getting up and down safely, while short Bingocize activities will add movement between speakers. The afternoon also includes a showing of a Milford Wellness Village video about community support. To Go Box Event: Falls Prevention Education ProgramWhen: Today, Sept. 23, 1:30-3:30 p.m.Where: Milford Wellness Village Conference Center, 21 W. Clarke Ave., MilfordWho can attend: Everyone is welcomeMore information: Contact Lon Kieffer at 302-462-6748 or lkieffer@milfordwellnessvillage.com.
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La Red gala celebrates 25 years of care and a vital role at Milford Wellness Village
Community health center is a key partner in the Village’s effort to give Milford-area families coordinated access to medical, behavioral and dental services By George D. Rotsch, Editor, Milford LIVE MILFORD, Del. — La Red Health Center will celebrate 25 years of expanding health care in Southern Delaware during an anniversary gala Sept. 24, while highlighting a mission that has become an important part of the Milford Wellness Village. The 25th Anniversary and Community Awards Celebration will run from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Hyatt Place Dewey Beach. The event will recognize the community partners, business leaders and supporters who helped La Red grow from a bilingual telephone referral line into a comprehensive health center serving more than 15,000 patients annually. “This event is very special for La Red, we aren’t only celebrating the milestone of turning 25,” said Rachel Hersh, La Red’s President and CEO, “we are honoring our founders’ vision and the commitment of everyone involved that has led to La Red become a flourishing healthcare center that 15,000 people rely upon every day for their healthcare needs. It really is a testament to what communities can do when they work together.” For residents of Milford and northern Sussex County, La Red’s work is visible at 21 W. Clarke Ave., where the organization operates as a key service partner within the Milford Wellness Village. The Village brings more than 30 health, education and community-service organizations together on the former Milford Memorial Hospital campus. Its goal is to make care more accessible and coordinated by allowing residents to find multiple services in one location. La Red plays a vital role in that model by providing a direct entry point into primary and preventive health care for children, adults, seniors and families — including people who may have difficulty obtaining care because of cost, insurance status, language or transportation. A health care anchor within the Village La Red moved its Milford Family Practice into the Milford Wellness Village as the former hospital campus was being redeveloped into a collaborative health and wellness center. The move gave La Red room to expand pediatric and adolescent care, adult and senior services, women’s health, behavioral health and oral health services in northern Sussex County. That combination makes La Red more than another tenant at the Village. It is one of the organizations helping the campus fulfill its central purpose: connecting residents with care in a convenient setting where medical providers, rehabilitation programs, laboratories, child care organizations and social-service agencies can work near one another. “La Red was the first tenant to join the Milford Wellness Village and significantly enhanced its facility when it moved here, including the addition of a brand-new, six-chair dental center,” said Meir Gelley, founder and owner of Milford Wellness Village. “As a medical home serving uninsured and underinsured residents, La Red is a key component of primary care at the Village and plays a vital role in making quality health care accessible to the Milford community.” The Village’s model is intended to reduce the stress of traveling to separate locations for medical appointments, testing, rehabilitation and support services. For patients with multiple health needs — particularly older adults, families with children and people managing chronic conditions — having services concentrated on one campus can make it easier to remain engaged in care. La Red contributes broad family health services to that network. Its Milford center provides adult and senior care, pediatric and adolescent care, women’s health and prenatal services, health screenings, treatment for acute illness and chronic disease management. Services also include behavioral health care, dental care, substance-use disorder treatment, laboratory services, cancer screening referrals, HIV screening, diabetic retinopathy screenings and help obtaining affordable medications. La Red’s presence ensures that the Milford Wellness Village includes a community health provider whose mission is specifically focused on reaching people who might otherwise fall through gaps in the traditional health system. From hotline to health network La Red’s story began before its formal incorporation in 2001, when it operated as a 24-hour telephone hotline. The service helped people with limited English proficiency connect with bilingual physicians who offered discounted medical care. In 2001, a group of Sussex County physicians joined with a hospital, community center, faith-based organization and local government to establish La Red Health Center. “La Red” means “the network” in Spanish, a name that reflects both its origins and its continuing reliance on partnerships. The organization became an independent ambulatory care center in 2003 and later received full status as a Federally Qualified Health Center. That federal designation helps nonprofit, community-based providers deliver care in areas where residents may face financial barriers or shortages of medical services. Today, La Red operates health centers in Georgetown, Seaford, Milford and a mobile health unit. It welcomes patients regardless of insurance status, income, language or background. Care beyond an appointment La Red’s role extends beyond examinations and treatment. Bilingual community health workers, known as promotoras, help patients understand medical information and navigate the health system. Transportation assistance helps residents reach appointments, while the organization’s mobile health unit carries primary care, vaccinations and pharmacy assistance into Sussex County communities. La Red also helps patients enroll in insurance programs, obtain medications and coordinate care among providers. Its outreach includes support for people experiencing homelessness, individuals returning to the community after incarceration and businesses seeking employee wellness programs. The Produce RX program works with local farms to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to patients in need. On-site services through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, commonly known as WIC, offer nutrition education and assistance to families at La Red’s Georgetown location. Those programs support the same principle behind the Milford Wellness Village: Health is affected not only by what happens during a medical appointment, but also by whether a patient has food, transportation, information and access to continuing support. Partnerships drive the mission La Red works with hospitals, schools, nonprofits, businesses and government agencies across Sussex County. Its regional partners […]
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