Through conversations with Point32Health colleagues, our Health Equity in Motion series shines a light on health inequities happening within our communities and across the United States, as well as ways that we’re aiming to advance health equity for our members.

A holistic view of health isn’t just about the physical shape someone’s in; it’s getting a full look at well-being from the physical and mental to the emotional and financial, as they all affect one another. For instance, if a person can’t afford to pay for a necessary medical service, that is not only causing their medical issue to potentially worsen, but it’s also adding stress, which can affect mental and emotional well-being. 

A person’s well-being is more than just a clean bill of health from a physician. It’s why Point32Health companies Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan have a team of community health workers available to assist members by providing resources in the community to improve their whole health. To learn more about health plan community health workers, we spoke with one of our own, Cristina. 

Q: For those who may not be as familiar, could you explain what the role of a community health worker entails?

Cristina: A community health worker plays a crucial role in addressing social determinants of health within the communities they live and work in. These social determinants can include a wide range of factors such as financial challenges, food insecurity, lack of transportation and other barriers that can affect individuals’ overall health and well-being. 

Many of our members may not be aware a resource is available to them or they don’t have the necessary information or access to investigate a resource further. I’m here to help guide our members and be that bridge to getting an answer or providing a resource.

Members are typically referred to a community health worker through some of our other departments like member services, care management, pharmacy or behavioral health. Working with the community health worker team can be completed telephonically or in person.

After connecting with the referring colleague to understand the full picture, I reach out to the member on the phone to connect and assess the member’s core concerns and follow up with the member based on a schedule that works for them depending on the need. 

Q: Are there any barriers to accessing health care that you see when working with members?

Cristina: Often, there are multiple barriers to accessing care that members face. For instance, I was working with a member initially to help him secure transportation to an appointment. After speaking with him, I learned he was also having financial concerns and wasn’t hearing back about the rental assistance he applied for, so I reached out to the rental assistance agency directly to find out there were a few documents missing. Together, we were able to get his application processed, which was approved for assistance.

This is a good example of being able to share resources with members who may not have otherwise known that resource was available. Upon learning about this member’s financial concerns, I shared information with him on how to access grant funding to help pay for medical bills. While he was waiting for his rental assistance application to be approved and for the grant funding to come through, I also connected him with food pantries and other food resources to temporarily assist. This allowed him to have extra money to cover other expenses in the interim. With these resources, he was able to focus on his physical health and return to work full time.

Q: What do you enjoy about being a community health worker?

Cristina: I enjoy working with members and their support networks to help address what is most pressing for them at the time they are referred and hearing about the positive progress they make with the resource information and in their physical and mental health over my time working with them.