Using CTSA infrastructure to address health disparities in New York City communities: Barriers and facilitators to implementing a free health screening program.

Abstract

The Weill Cornell Heart to Heart Community Outreach Campaign (H2H) is a free outreach program that provides mobile health screenings. The program brings medical and nursing faculty and students to the underserved, uninsured communities of New York City. Participants are screened for diabetes and heart disease risk factors through onsite exams, including point of care blood tests. If an abnormality is found, they receive a medical consultation to offer personalized advice and referrals to free/low-cost clinics when needed. The goal is to help underserved individuals understand their cardiometabolic health and to promote early intervention. This article describes the development of the program, including factors that were essential to the collaboration, challenges faced, barriers to implementation, and its evolution throughout the first 12 years. The program has benefited from strong foundational program leadership, effective inter-institutional collaboration, and maintaining community trust.