Healthcare CEOs to pitch in at Habitat House Build

CEOs from three Delaware healthcare systems volunteered with Sussex County Habitat for Humanity Friday, Aug. 23.

Terry Murphy, FACHE, Bayhealth president and CEO; Jeffrey Fried, FACHE, Beebe Medical Center president and CEO; and Steven Rose, RN, MN, CEO and president of Nanticoke Health Services, contributed their talents to a house build at 120 Linden Drive, Georgetown Point, Georgetown.

“We’re committed to being a good neighbor and community partner,” said Murphy. “It feels great to contribute to the good work being done by Habitat for Humanity, while also building collaboration between these healthcare organizations.”

The Healthier Sussex County group is focusing its energies on two build projects underway in Georgetown with Sussex County Habitat for Humanity.

“I’m proud to support the Healthier Sussex County initiative and the partnership with Sussex County Habitat for Humanity,” said Rose. “This project will further the focus on the initiative’s mission - to make Sussex County one of the healthiest in the nation.”

“Within the auspices of Healthier Sussex County, we are working to keep people in Sussex County healthier through addressing disparities in healthcare and education, and working with our community members to help engage them in making healthier lifestyle choices,” said Fried. “Certainly, a healthy environment in which to live is critical to maintaining good health. Helping Habitat for Humanity to build homes for Sussex County residents also provides an opportunity for the staff of the three hospitals to work together in a project that supports the Healthier Sussex County initiative.”

In fall 2011, the CEOs of the three Sussex County Health Systems - Bayhealth, Beebe and Nanticoke - established the Healthier Sussex County Task Force to develop a plan to address health disparities in Sussex County. A major component of the program is building partnerships with healthcare, state and county resources.

The first two projects undertaken by Healthier Sussex County focused on diabetes management and mammography screening. Through alliances with community organizations such as Public Health and the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, the task force met its goals in both areas, increasing the screening rates in target populations and raising awareness through education and self-management programs.

Well-constructed, affordable housing has been shown to improve health outcomes for adults and children, so the partnership with Habitat for Humanity is a good fit for Healthier Sussex County. Kevin Gilmore, executive director for Sussex County Habitat, expressed his gratitude. “Through the efforts of our three hospitals, we will be able to make a real difference in the lives of two deserving families while at the same time providing an opportunity for the employees of the three hospitals to work together and share a spirit of service.” In addition to volunteer days, each hospital is organizing fundraising opportunities and events.

The project is particularly meaningful to Murphy, Fried, Rose, and their employees because the mothers in the two families who will live in the new homes work in the healthcare field.

Employees from all three health systems will volunteer and help build two homes over the next several months.

To learn more about the Healthier Sussex County initiative, visit healthiersussexcounty.com. To learn more about Sussex County Habitat for Humanity and how to donate or volunteer, go to sussexcountyhabitat.org.

Bayhealth’s mission is to improve the health status of all members of the Bayhealth community. For more information, go to www.bayhealth.org.

Beebe Medical Center is a not-for-profit community healthcare system with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health for the people residing, working, or visiting in the communities it serves. For more information, visit www.beebemed.org.

Nanticoke Memorial Hospital is ranked among the top 5 percent in the nation for Critical Care Medicine for 2012 and 2013 by Health Grades Inc. For more information, go to www.nanticoke.org.