AN E-NEWSLETTER FOR THE OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY | ISSUE 37 • March Vol. 1 2022
Community Partnerships for Cancer Screenings Decrease Health Disparities in Our Community
Prolonged delays in cancer screening due to the COVID-19 pandemic threaten to increase existing health disparities. Although screenings are now returning to pre-pandemic levels, health centers have seen an increase nationally in cancers due to a decrease in prevention management (Journal of Medicine, 2021).

At Open Door, we know that many of our patients face many obstacles in receiving cancer screening and diagnostic services. These include a language barrier, lack of health care insurance, transportation issues and less experience navigating our complicated health care system.

To ensure that our most vulnerable patients – a majority of whom live at or below the federal poverty level, are uninsured, and are Spanish speaking – have equal access to cancer prevention and treatment services, Open Door collaborates with multiple community partners. These partnerships are crucial to helping our most vulnerable patients.

Open Door’s partnerships, include those with providers and centers that provide cancer screening, diagnostic and treatment services. In addition, in 2010, Open Door partnered with two other Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Sun River Health and the Institute for Family Health, and created the Hudson Information Technology for Community Health (HITCH).
Exercise Program Overcomes Growing Pains In Going Virtual
For years, the wellness program at Open Door Family Medical Center featured a series of free, daily exercise classes in its Ossining and Port Chester studios to patients, many of whom were enrolled or had previously taken the center’s year-long certified National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP).

At least until the pandemic hit.

“We initially told participants that we would be closed from March 12 to 27 (2020),” said Leanna D’Agostino, wellness program coordinator and a certified fitness instructor. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way.

With in-person classes no longer considered safe because of COVID-19 and the attention of its wellness team primarily focused on an emergency food distribution program designed to meet the needs of the hundreds of homebound Open Door families suffering from food insecurity, the exercise studios went dark. The program, paid for by donations from the Open Door Foundation, reemerged 16 months later in July 2021 in the only way it could – with virtual classes.

Open Door Social Media Updates
Grown Ups, Show Up was co-developed by the Ossining Communities that Care Coalition's (OCTC) partner organizations. The campaign offers parents tips and guidance on how and when to start the often difficult conversation about underage drinking and drug use with their kids. Read more about this innovative campaign.
Scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine at Open Door is easier than ever with our NEW Self-Scheduling feature. To make a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, visit: https://rebrand.ly/Luma-Health (Or simply visit opendoormedical.org)
At Open Door, we are committed to reducing health disparities in our communities by providing equitable, accessible health care and wellness services — regardless of ability to pay.
Your Support Matters
Thanks to the support of all our donors, the Open Door is able to do what we do best — delivering compassionate, quality health care and wellness services to people with the least access and greatest need — regardless of their ability to pay.

For more information and sponsorship opportunities, contact Elisabeth Gilbert, Senior Director of Development, at [email protected] or 914-502-1417.
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