Children's Mercy Kansas City has been honored with a significant two-year grant totaling $4 million from the respected Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation. This generous funding will provide vital support to three key programs within our organization, Connected Experience and The Berry Institute, and Patient Progression. With these resources, we are embarking on a groundbreaking initiative aimed at advancing health care equity by proactively identifying and rectifying gaps in coordination of care, streamlining operational processes, and empowering our dedicated workforce through comprehensive training programs. 

Funding from this grant is being used in three distinct ways:

1. Enabling and expediting work to create a modern data platform to readily identify gaps in health equity, care coordination, and the patient family experience which will inform the design and development of programs
2. Build upon existing Patient Progression technology and processes as well as Connected Experience concept programs to curate a care coordination ecosystem targeting disparities, gaps in care and experience
3. Integrate virtual reality training, simulation and training space into the Berry Institute to equip staff, patients, and caregivers with tools for empowerment and impact

As described by Scott Helm, VP of Talent Management, and Ashley Papenberg, VP of Care Management and Patient & Family Services, the grant initiative will be a dedicated endeavor, prioritizing data, positive patient experiences, and iterative training. By capturing real-time data, we will conduct a comprehensive analysis to identify existing gaps in patient experience, care coordination, and health equity. These identified gaps will be swiftly addressed through the development of proactive, personalized, seamless, and interconnected healthcare experiences through a robust care coordination ecosystem. Moreover, the invaluable insights gained from these experiences will be standardized through state-of-the-art Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality training offered by the Berry Institute. Through this concerted effort, we aim to foster an environment of trust, safety, and improved outcomes for our patients and families, thereby reinforcing our commitment to equity and bolstering our national reputation.

“We will consider our program successful when we improve annual metrics, such as increased patient experience, improved timeliness of care, and decreased unnecessary utilization and readmission rates," noted Helm and Papenberg. "Through the establishment and execution of this groundbreaking project, we will collectively make a profound impact on the coordination of care and healthcare equity of patients inside and beyond the walls of Children’s Mercy.”

The Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation is focused on giving back to the people of Greater Kansas City. Through responsive and strategic philanthropy, The Foundation is committed to assisting the city’s most vulnerable neighbors and striving to achieve lasting and meaningful change.