48 Project Health events help to eliminate barriers to access, affordability and quality care
Project Health has delivered more than $6 million worth of free health services locally since 2010
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of a commitment to building healthier communities, CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) celebrated the expansion of its annual Project Health free health screening campaign with a community event that took place on Friday, September 20th at CVS Pharmacy, 7520 City Line Ave., Philadelphia. Friday's event was one of 48 free health screenings taking place in the Philadelphia area between now and the end of the year.
Donte DiVincenzo, NBA point guard for the Milwaukee Bucks and two-time NCAA champion with the Villanova Wildcats, attended the event, along with CVS Health's Dr. Garth Graham, community members and CVS Pharmacy field leadership to discuss the importance of being proactive about your health, eating well and not smoking.
"CVS Health is committed to expanding access to quality and affordable care, both through our retail footprint and with national and local non-profits and organizations who share our belief that better health starts at the community level," said Garth Graham, M.D., vice president of community health and impact at CVS and president of the Aetna Foundation. "We were thrilled to be in in Philadelphia to celebrate the expansion of Project Health and look forward to providing local residents with free health screenings throughout the rest of the year, as part of our commitment to building healthier communities."
Project Health events, which will be held Thursdays Sundays in select stores across Philadelphia through the end of the year, are open to everyone and do not require an appointment. Once screened, patients have access to on-site consultations with bilingual nurse practitioners or physician assistants who will analyze results and refer patients who require additional medical care and follow up to no-cost or low-cost medical facilities nearby or to their primary care physician.
"Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important for me, on and off the court," said DiVincenzo. "With Project Health helping people keep tabs on their blood pressure, weight and cholesterol at these free health screening events, CVS Health is setting the people of Philadelphia up for a healthier future."
An array of free comprehensive health assessment screenings are available at these events, including blood pressure, body mass Index (BMI), glucose and total cholesterol screenings, which can help detect risk for chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. The expansion of Project Health will also do more to screen for social determinants of health that affect personal health and communities. A study has shown that up to 60 percent of life expectancy may be driven by behavioral, social and environmental factors including family, education, housing, and access to affordable healthy food.Schroeder, SA. (2007). We Can Do Better Improving the Health of the American People. NEJM. 357:1221-8. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa073350
Through Project Health, CVS Health has hosted over 600 preventive care events across Philadelphia since 2010, conducting 51,000 free health screenings, counseling 1,812 people on how to stop smoking and donating over $6 million worth of free medical services.
Project Health events have a proven track record of improving patient engagement and ultimately, healthier outcomes. More than 87 percent of patients who attend Project Health events report following-up with their primary care physician and were significantly more likely to proactively discuss their blood pressure, BMI and blood sugar levels, according to the company's own metrics.
"I am thrilled for the residents of my district to have the opportunity to receive free walk-in health and wellness screenings through Project Health," said State Representative Morgan Cephas. For some, this may be the only opportunity they have had this year or maybe ever to speak with a medical professional about important wellness measurements, such as glucose and cholesterol levels. It's a critical service that everyone can benefit from."
Established in 2006, Project Health has delivered more than $127 million in free health care services to nearly 1.7 million people in multicultural communities with a large number of uninsured or underinsured Americans.
For a full calendar of Project Health events, visit www.cvs.com/project-health (in Spanish: www.cvs.com/proyectosalud).
About CVS Health
CVS Health is the nation's premier health innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Whether in one of its pharmacies or through its health services and plans, CVS Health is pioneering a bold new approach to total health by making quality care more affordable, accessible, simple and seamless. CVS Health is community-based and locally focused, engaging consumers with the care they need when and where they need it. The Company has approximately 9,900 retail locations, approximately 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with more than 102 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year and expanding specialty pharmacy services. CVS Health also serves an estimated 38 million people through traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including rapidly expanding Medicare Advantage offerings and a leading standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. The Company believes its innovative health care model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.
Media Contact:
Ethan Slavin
860-273-6095
SlavinE@aetna.com