Creating a Hospital-Based Community Health Worker Program Using College Students: Reducing Costs and Improving Quality

The current health care landscape is changing quickly. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) (2010) has had significant impact on insurance coverage and the way in which health care is provided. The percentage of the population with no health insurance coverage declined by 2.9 percentage points between 2013 and 2014.1 The 2.9% decline translates into 8.8 million more citizens with insurance coverage during this 1-year time period.1 In addition, hospitals and health care systems are seeking programs and plans to decrease avoidable readmissions, unnecessary use of the emergency department, and improve the health and wellness of their communities. Our current system is stressed with shortages of many health care workers, including physicians, nurses, and dentists, as well as mental health and public health workers.2 Estimates for the shortfall are varied, with physician shortages projected to increase to between 46,000 to 90,000 physicians by 2025.3 Nursing is estimated to have a shortage of 500,000 by 2025.2 These many coalescing factors create an environment where hospitals, health systems, and providers are receptive to implementing new methods of providing care and increasing access to care.