Waterbury Hospital Launches New Program

From Waterbury Health: Waterbury Hospital is among the first hospitals in Connecticut to launch Unite Connecticut – a statewide initiative of the Connecticut Hospital Association that connects health and social services providers through a shared technology platform to address social needs and deliver integrated care. Waterbury Hospital and Griffin Hospital are the first two hospitals in the state to launch the program.

Through Unite Connecticut, Waterbury Hospital is able to screen and refer patients to community-based organizations for needs such as housing, food, transportation, and employment, effectively addressing social needs on an individual level.

“We are pleased to be part of this program that connects patients with needed social services. This will help us keep our patients and our community healthy,” said Waterbury HEALTH CEO Peter Adamo.

Unite Connecticut was launched earlier this year through a partnership between the Connecticut Hospital Association and Unite Us, an outcome-focused technology company that builds coordinated care networks. Through this work, hospitals and health systems are integrating social determinants of health into healthcare practice to address patients’ social needs.

“We applaud Connecticut hospitals and health systems, along with community-based organizations, as they implement Unite Connecticut,” said Jennifer Jackson, CEO, CHA. “This effort will improve patients’ lives by ensuring that their social needs are met, and it will transform healthcare and keep our communities healthier.”

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Waterbury HEALTH to build integrated networks that comprehensively address people’s needs and will transform care delivery in Connecticut,” said Steve Strauss, Head of Network Development for Unite Us. “The Unite Us team will work hand-in-hand with Waterbury HEALTH affiliated partners and community-based organizations, before, during and after launch to ensure the network’s integrity and success,” he added.

The Unite Connecticut rollout will continue at hospitals and health systems across the state through 2021, and includes a resource database that leverages the work of 211 Connecticut, a program of the United Way of Connecticut, as part of the statewide network.

This press release was produced by Waterbury Health. The views are the author's own.