GREENSBORO, N.C. — Shocking health statistics in Guilford County have leaders taking on a new approach to improve the health of the community.
Recent data from the county shows black babies are twice as likely to die before their first birthday compared to white babies, and white county residents live three years longer than black ones do.
The county hopes to reduce mortality rates by partnering with Cone Health to create a social innovation team.
The program manager of the new team is Audrey Mangili.
She said there are several factors that play a part in why these stats are true.
“What’s missing in a broad perspective is the focus on the whole person and wellness. It's not just your physical body, it's your emotional health, your social health, your connectedness to your family and community," Mangili said. "It's environmental factors, so if you have environmental hazards in your home or around your home, it will impact the health of your family.”
Expect to hear from a member of this innovation team in the coming months. They want your take on how both the county and Cone Health can come together to improve the health of folks living in the community.
“Expect something in the mail or a mention at a doctor's appointment. It could be a poll or survey or a visit to your home," Mangili said. "It's going to require a multi-faceted approach to show people we want to hear from them.”
Cone Health said sticking to only caring for people physically in a clinical setting isn't yielding the positive impact on people's health in the way they'd like.
This comprised team of about eight people from Cone and the county will start by speaking with and getting feedback from people in the county with the poorest health outcomes and most emergency room visits.
“Data shows the areas most impacted and most emergency utilization and poorest health outcomes are typically in the southeast part of Greensboro," Mangili said.
Mangili said they are in the hiring phase and working to solidify their team. Once the team is fully hired they’ll decide what health disparities to prioritize.
This innovative program is funded through the county's allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funds.
“We have the opportunity to look at all the factors and see what role we can play in aligning efforts and creating collaboration to leverage resources to reduce barriers for people so they can live a happy, healthy life," Mangili said.