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Stress Awareness Month | Media Advisory
In today's fast-paced world, stress has become a ubiquitous companion, impacting individuals across all walks of life. Stress Awareness Month serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of mental well-being and the need to address stress-related issues in our society. This event matters to the public as it sheds light on the prevalence of stress, its detrimental effects on health and productivity, and the strategies available to cope with it effectively. Key story angles that may interest a broad audience include: The science behind stress: Exploring the physiological and psychological mechanisms of stress and its effects on the body and mind. Coping strategies and resilience: Highlighting various techniques individuals can employ to manage stress, including mindfulness, exercise, and seeking social support. Stress in the workplace: Investigating the impact of work-related stress on employee well-being and productivity, along with initiatives by companies to create healthier work environments. Stress among different demographics: Examining how stress manifests differently across age groups, genders, socioeconomic backgrounds, and cultures. Innovations in stress management: Covering emerging technologies and therapies aimed at reducing stress levels and improving mental health outcomes. Policy and advocacy: Discussing the role of governments and organizations in implementing policies and programs to alleviate stress and promote mental wellness. Connect with an Expert on Stress For journalists with questions or looking to cover Stress, its causes and how it impacts people, here is a select list of experts on stress. To search our full list of experts visit www.expertfile.com Claire Wheeler Instructor · Portland State University David Creswell Professor · Carnegie Mellon University Julian Ford, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Psychiatry · University of Connecticut Annie T. Ginty, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Psychology & Neuroscience · Baylor University Rosalie Moscoe Owner, Spleaker, Registered Nutritional Consultant · Health in Harmony Photo Credit: Luis Villasmil
Oprah Hosts Primetime Special About Weight Loss Drugs on ABC | Media Advisory
Oprah Winfrey, a revered media mogul and advocate for health and wellness, is set to host a groundbreaking primetime special on ABC, focusing on the burgeoning field of weight loss drugs. The new special follows Winfrey’s exit from the board of weightwatchers, where she served for nearly a decade after acquiring a 10% stake in the company. This special promises to shed light on the science behind popular weight loss medications Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegogy. As obesity rates continue to climb globally, the discussion around weight loss solutions becomes increasingly pertinent, touching on public health, self-image, and the pharmaceutical industry's role in shaping health standards. Key topics of interest include: Science and Effectiveness of Weight Loss Drugs: Exploring how these medications work and their success rates. Personal Stories of Transformation: Individuals' journeys with weight loss drugs, including challenges and triumphs. Ethical and Societal Implications: The debate over body image, health standards, and drug dependency. Regulatory Perspective and Safety: How these drugs are approved and monitored for public use. Impact on the Healthcare System: The potential effects on healthcare costs and accessibility. Cautions and Concerns: Are there serious side-effects and what are the risks related to taking these drugs? Future of Obesity Treatment: Innovations and next steps in treating obesity with pharmaceuticals. For journalists seeking research or insights for their coverage on this topic, here is a select list of experts. Rebecca Puhl, Ph.D. Professor of Human Development and Family Studies · University of Connecticut Professor Paul Gately Carnegie Professor of Exercise and Obesity and Co-Director of the Applied Centre for Obesity Research · Leeds Beckett University Rebecca Pearl Assistant Professor · University of Florida Jan D. Hirsch Founding Dean, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences · UC Irvine Amy Gorin, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Psychological Sciences · University of Connecticut James Lenhard, Jr., M.D., FACE, FACEP Medical Director · ChristianaCare To search our full list of experts visit www.expertfile.com. Photo by Total Shape
Leap year: Tips for using extra day on career and professional development
Having an extra day in a leap year provides you with a unique opportunity to invest time in your career and professional development. Jill Gugino Panté, director of the Lerner Career Services Center at the University of Delaware, offers six ideas to maximize the day. Dedicate time to enhance your skills. It is easy to find free courses, workshops and training videos on just about anything. Take five minutes to reflect on a skill you wish you had or were better, such as, say, Excel. YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn Learning have hundreds of thousands of videos that can teach shortcuts, visual design, formulas and more. Use the day for networking. Reach out to professionals in your industry and schedule informational interviews. Reconnect with old classmates, former bosses or colleagues from another department and invite them to meet for coffee or lunch. Spend the day talking with someone about your career/professional development goals. Reflect on your career goals. Many of us do not take the time to articulate where we want to be this time next year or even four years from now. Start with three months, then move to six months, then a year. Do you want to learn a new skill? Meet with someone whose career you’ve admired? Change jobs? Ask for a raise? Career development can be thought of as a series of projects because thinking four years ahead can seem a little daunting. However, making goals for the next six months makes the process more manageable and tangible. Update your career documents. This means not only your resume but your LinkedIn profile and professional bio. If you don’t have access to a Career Coach, use Generative AI (like Chat GPT) to help you write better bullet points or update your “About” section on LinkedIn. Keep in mind that AI should be viewed as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for your active involvement in the process. Maintain a personal touch and let your unique personality shine through in your application materials and interviews. Focus on your well-being. How often do we get an extra day to focus on ourselves? And on this particular leap year, you may be feeling stressed and overwhelmed so focusing on career goals isn’t an option. Take the opportunity for self-care – go for a leisurely walk, engage in meditation or stretching exercises, or schedule an online session with a therapist or counselor. Investing time in personal wellness is important to address before you leap into professional development. Make deliberate choices that not only contribute to your career growth but also foster a sense of well-being. Here's a pro tip: mark a "professional/personal development boost" block on your calendar for each leap year, ensuring you fully capitalize on the extra day. This strategic scheduling will serve as a reminder to prioritize both your professional growth and personal wellness. To set up an interview with Gugino Panté, visit her profile and click on the contact button.
ChristianaCare Opens Three New School-Based Health Centers in Delaware Elementary Schools
To address health concerns when they are at their earliest, most preventable stages, ChristianaCare has opened three new school-based health centers in Delaware elementary schools: Brookside Elementary School in Newark – part of the Christina School District. Silver Lake Elementary School in Middletown – part of the Appoquinimink School District. Richardson Park Elementary School in Wilmington – part of the Red Clay School District. “At ChristianaCare, we recognize that early intervention is vital in order to address the comprehensive health needs of adolescents in our community,” said Erin Booker, chief bio-psycho-social officer at ChristianaCare. “Childhood trauma hurts the ability of children to learn and increases their risk of chronic disease and mental health issues. Through the opening of these three new school-based health centers, these children now have convenient access to medical services, behavioral health services and wraparound social care. These centers can improve their health and education and set them on a lifelong path of wellness.” These new elementary school Wellness Centers are a partnership between ChristianaCare, the Delaware School-Based Health Alliance, the schools and school districts, supported by New Castle County government with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. With the latest additions, ChristianaCare now operates school-based health centers in seven elementary schools and 19 high schools and middle schools. Each ChristianaCare school-based health center includes a health care team of medical, mental health, community health and nutrition experts. The health centers also provide a host of services by appointment during the school day. A parent or guardian must provide a signed permission form prior to a student’s first visit to a health center. Priscilla Michelle Mpasi, M.D., FAAP speaks at the ribbon-cutting at Richardson Park Elementary School. “At ChristianaCare, we serve together, guided by our values of love and excellence, and that mission of service is why we are committed to improving the health and wellbeing of the community,” said Priscilla Michelle Mpasi, M.D., FAAP, assistant medical director for the Clinically Integrated Network and Delaware Medicaid Partners. “School-based health centers are the connection of whole-child health and education. As we all know, early intervention is the key to wellness. Children can learn better when they are happy and healthy and know they have a safe place to go when they need care.” At no cost to the students, and located within each elementary school, the three school-based health centers also alleviate the need for parents and students to find transportation to address their health care needs. “Ensuring that our students are prepared to learn is crucial, but it can be challenging when they are dealing with various obstacles,” said Dan Shelton, Ed.D., superintendent of Christina School District. “That’s why our collaboration with ChristianaCare and New Castle County presents an incredible opportunity to bring essential services directly to our school. By establishing an in-school wellness center at Brookside Elementary School, we are thrilled to provide our students with the support they need to be fully prepared and eager to learn.” “Empowering our future starts with nurturing the health and well-being of our youngest minds,” said Dorrell Green, Ed.D., superintendent of the Red Clay Consolidated School District, which oversees the new school-based health center at Richardson Park. “Elementary school-based health centers play a pivotal role in fostering a thriving community by providing accessible, comprehensive healthcare, ensuring every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.” “We are so grateful to open the first school-based health center at an elementary school in Appoquinimink School District,” said Matt Burrows, superintendent of the Appoquinimink School District. “This wouldn’t be possible without the partnership of New Castle County Government and the Delaware School-Based Health Alliance. The services provided by school-based health centers span a large array of care – including physicals, vaccinations, mental health, and more. As fast as our community is growing here in the MOT area, we know access to health care can be a challenge for many of our families. Having these services inside one of our elementary schools will be incredibly helpful for our families. The services that are being provided by ChristianaCare are invaluable for our students and their families.”
For the second consecutive time, ChristianaCare has earned the Joy in Medicine™ recognition from the American Medical Association (AMA). ChristianaCare earned Gold Level recognition, the highest level of recognition in the Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program. It was one of only 10 health systems nationwide to achieve Gold Level. The recognition underscores ChristianaCare’s demonstrated commitment to the well-being of clinical care team members. “Receiving the Joy in Medicine Award the first time was certainly an honor, but achieving gold level status a second time is an even greater achievement, as the requirements are more exacting,” said ChristianaCare Chief Wellness Officer Heather Farley, M.D., MHCDS, FACEP. “It is a testament to the fact that at ChristianaCare and our Center for WorkLife Wellbeing, we are not comfortable resting on our laurels. We continue to raise the bar in our efforts to support the well-being of our caregivers, effectively respond to the changing health care landscape and foster an environment where each of our caregivers can thrive.” Continued Excellence in Support of Caregivers In 2022, ChristianaCare’s Center for WorkLife Wellbeing launched Psychological First Aid training to help organization leaders build skills to identify and support colleagues impacted by stress. More than half of ChristianaCare leaders completed the training in 2022. The training is now available to all caregivers. In addition, ChristianaCare’s peer support program, known as Care for the Caregiver, offers confidential individual peer support and group support following a range of stressful events at work. The program completed nearly 2,500 encounters from 2015 to 2022. ChristianaCare also has established the Workplace Civility Steer Team, which provides strategic direction in establishing an environment that is safe and free of violence for caregivers, patients and visitors. The team performs this through program and process development for the identification, prevention and response to workplace violence, a challenge increasingly faced by health care workers nationwide. “Health organizations that have earned recognition from the AMA’s Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program are leading a national movement that has declared the well-being of health professionals to be an essential element for providing high-quality care to patients, families and communities,” said AMA President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, M.D., M.P.H. “Each Joy in Medicine recognized organization is distinguished as among the nation’s best at creating a culture of wellness that makes a difference in the lives of clinical care teams.” Burnout rates among the nation’s physicians and other health care professionals spiked dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic placed acute stress on care teams and exacerbated long-standing systemic issues. While the worst days of the pandemic have passed, the lingering impact of work-related burnout remains an obstacle to achieving national health goals. Since its inception in 2019, the Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program has recognized more than 100 organizations across the country. In 2023, a total of 72 health systems nationwide earned recognition with documented efforts to reduce system-level drivers of work-related burnout and demonstrated competencies in commitment, assessment, leadership, efficiency of practice environment, teamwork and support.
Bridget Melton, Ed.D., professor in the Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology at Georgia Southern University, is part of a team awarded $1.1 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist with a study aimed to promote wellness in firefighters and first responders. Melton is collaborating with researchers at the University of Kentucky as part of a three-year study that builds on a decade of foundational work by Melton and the Tactical Athlete Initiative team in the Waters College of Health Professions, College of Education and the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health. The grant will help the researchers assist firefighters with injury mitigation, better work outcomes and reduction in financial burdens. “Our tactical research team has collaborated with our local fire department, Statesboro Fire Department, to create an industry-leading integrated health approach to firefighter wellness,” stated Melton. “In this model, the firefighter’s health and wellness is prioritized in a cost-effective approach.” The integrative approach brings the best human performance practices to first responders, infusing strength and conditioning coaches, athletic trainers, nutrition specialists and mental skill experts. A handful of agencies nationwide are beginning to embrace this integrated approach. Even with the model’s success, there is still limited research on benefits to the firefighter, health care costs and the organization with this new model, Melton noted. “The goal of the FEMA study is to provide agencies and government officials with evidence supporting the model,” she said. “We want to be able to demonstrate to these individuals that their return on investment will be worth it, as firefighters using the model will sustain fewer injuries; therefore, the agency’s financial burden will be reduced.” Looking to know more - we can help. To connect with Bridget Melton from Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology at Georgia Southern - simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Experts from the Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing will examine the daily financial struggles of low to moderate income UK households The Real Accounts project will capture day-to-day financial fluctuations, understanding household money management strategies It is hoped the results will help inform policy and market innovation and debate. New research by the Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing at Aston University will shine a light on the real day-to-day experience of financial uncertainty among UK households and help inform policy and market innovation and debate. The Real Accounts project will build an in-depth understanding of the lived experience of financial uncertainty among low to moderate income households across the country. Believed to be the first of its kind in the UK and in contrast with the snapshot data achieved by annual surveys, this long-term study will provide a fully joined-up view of household finances, capturing the day-to-day, week-to-week ups and downs, working with households to understand the situations they face and the strategies they use to manage their money. The project will be a collaboration with Nest Insight and the Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health at Glasgow Caledonian University. Experts will use a research data collection app that has been custom designed by Moneyhub to capture real-time income and expenditure transaction data over six months for a sample of around 50 low to moderate income households, combined with monthly interviewing. Professor Andy Lymer, director of the Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing at Aston University, said: “We are really pleased to be part of this innovative project, directly focusing on real experiences of managing financial volatility and the impact that has on broader aspects of wellbeing. Too little is currently known about the scope and scale of income and expense volatility experienced by UK households. This research is really timely given people are currently facing the very significant impact of the cost-of-living crisis and often enormous uncertainty about both their incomes and their expenditures. The outcomes of this work will generate deeper understanding of what it means to experience financial challenges in reality and over sustained periods of time. It will contribute to finding better ways to help people in their everyday lives and is a perfect fit for the focus of our Centre that seeks to deepen our understanding of what matters in creating personal financial wellbeing.” Sope Otulana, head of research at Nest Insight, said: “As the rising cost of living continues to impact households across the country, and levels of household debt climb, this research is more crucial than ever. The project aims to shine a light on exactly what it is like for households today managing volatile income and expenditure, sharing their first-hand stories. While large income and expenditure datasets track individuals and their behaviour out in the world, this research puts individuals back into the contexts where their financial lives play out, focussing on the overall household – partners, parents, siblings, friends and other social connections. It will look beyond the balance sheet to also analyse social, environmental, and health factors, as well as other dynamics that can come into play and affect household finances. The research will identify trends but also capture the variation within households, recognising that there is no ‘average’ household circumstance or experience.” Alex Christopoulos, Aviva Foundation lead and senior strategic adviser and consultant, said: “Millions in the UK are struggling and worried about money. The Real Accounts research provides us with an opportunity to understand how these households are managing to get by day-to-day; the choices they make, the strategies they take and the knock-on effects this has on other areas of their life. In uncertain times, we need to better understand how people deal with fluctuations in their incomings and outgoings – and what kinds of financial support and services might enable them to build a buffer, and a plan, to deal with today’s pressures, as well as what tomorrow may bring. The Aviva Foundation is proud to be supporting Nest Insight and its partners to deliver to the Real Accounts research.” Samantha Seaton, CEO of Moneyhub, said: “It is only when we have in-depth and holistic data on a person's or household’s finances that we can truly know and begin to understand the impact of the rising cost of living. This can only be successfully achieved by bringing all of an individual's or household’s financial data together in one place, from every-day spending to long-term projects such as buying a property and saving for retirement. At Moneyhub, we’re absolutely delighted to be providing our cutting-edge technology to enable Nest Insight and its partners to collect and analyse this crucial data. We know from our own users the pressure that the current economic situation is placing on them, with many unable to save resorting to borrowing to get by each month. Having thorough data and insight will enable any solution to be highly personalised in its approach and have a much more positive impact on those that require it most. Ultimately the more real-time financial data points, the more informed the decisions can be. It has always been our purpose at Moneyhub to improve financial wellness, and this project is just one example of how we’re using Open Finance to do exactly that.” You can find out more about the project here.
Comprehensive Sleep Wellness Center Opens on Newark Campus
More than 70 million Americans suffer from sleep-related problems. To address this growing need, ChristianaCare has opened a new comprehensive sleep wellness center in the Medical Arts Pavilion II on the ChristianaCare Newark Campus. The ChristianaCare Sleep Wellness Center, accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, is an outpatient program that provides expert diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders. The nearly 5,000 square foot, seven-bed facility builds on the success of ChristianaCare’s previous sleep diagnostic center, now incorporating clinical care and diagnostic testing at the same site. The center is staffed by board-certified sleep medicine specialists who provide in-lab and at-home sleep testing, as well as a behavioral health specialist who offers cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. The center offers onsite and virtual appointments. “At the ChristianaCare Sleep Wellness Center, we offer the full range of sleep care services in one place, with the expertise to help people with all kinds of sleep disorders,” said Shilpa Kauta, M.D., medical director of the ChristianaCare Sleep Wellness Center. “Sleep disorders affect members of every race, socioeconomic class and age group, but despite the high prevalence of sleep disorders, many people remain undiagnosed and untreated,” she said. National surveys show that more than 60 percent of adults have never been asked about the quality of their sleep by a physician. “It’s important for people to know that if they have problems related to sleeping, they should talk to their doctor about it, or call us at the Sleep Wellness Center. Sleep disorders can affect overall health—and they are often very treatable.” The Sleep Wellness Center provides expert, multidisciplinary diagnosis and care for every kind of sleep problem, including: Obstructive sleep apnea. Restless leg syndrome. Narcolepsy. Parasomnias, such as sleepwalking. As part of the ChristianaCare team, the expert staff at the Sleep Wellness Center coordinates with disease-based programs at ChristianaCare to integrate sleep services into cardiac care, weight loss surgery and renal transplant care. They also partner with surgeons to manage hypoglossal nerve stimulation therapy, a major advancement in obstructive sleep apnea treatment. Patients at the Sleep Wellness Center undergo a personal sleep history, medical background and physical examination. If appropriate, a polysomnography (sleep study) may be ordered to monitor and record brain waves, heart rate, blood oxygen level, breathing and eye movements. Poor Sleep Health is a National Problem According to the National Institutes of Health, of the 70 million Americans suffering from sleep-related problems, more than 50% are likely to have a chronic disorder, such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy. People who suffer from sleep disorders are also more likely to have chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, depression, obesity and even cancer. The impact on American life and economy is enormous as sleep deprivation and untreated sleep disorders are estimated to cost over $100 billion annually in lost productivity, medical expenses, sick leave, property and environmental damage. “With information collected through testing, our sleep experts can determine the source of a sleep problem and begin a treatment plan to help patients improve their quality of life,” Kauta said. The address and phone number of the new center: ChristianaCare Sleep Wellness Center 4735 Ogletown Stanton Rd. Suite 2210 Newark, DE 19713 302-623-0610
ChristianaCare Will Open Neighborhood Hospital at Its West Grove Campus
Plans for emergency and inpatient care follow extensive planning and community listening sessions ChristianaCare today provided new details about its plans to restore needed health care services to the southern Chester County, Pennsylvania, community at its West Grove campus, formerly Jennersville Hospital. ChristianaCare will open a neighborhood hospital that includes 10 emergency department beds and 10 inpatient beds. The neighborhood hospital will offer emergency care and behavioral health emergency care and provide diagnostic capabilities including ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), X-ray and laboratory services. The emergency department will treat common emergency care needs such as falls, injuries, heart attacks and strokes. Additionally, the hospital will benefit from access to ChristianaCare’s large network of specialists and support services — such as neurology and cardiology — through virtual consults. “We are excited to share our plans to restore important local health care resources to the southern Chester County community,” said Janice Nevin, M.D., MPH, ChristianaCare president and CEO. “We are committed to our neighbors in southern Chester County for the long-term, serving them as expert, caring partners in their health.” ChristianaCare’s plans for a neighborhood hospital meet the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s requirements for a micro-hospital, which must have a minimum of 10 inpatient beds and 10 emergency department treatment rooms and offer imaging services on-site. “After listening to the needs of the community and an extensive review of historical and projected demographic data, we believe this neighborhood hospital model will provide the right mix of health care services for the West Grove campus in a way that is sustainable and meets the community’s most immediate needs today,” said Heather Farley, M.D., chief wellness officer for ChristianaCare and the clinical leader for the West Grove planning. “It also sets us up to grow in meeting more of the community’s needs in the future.” ChristianaCare anticipates an opening date in late 2024, although the date is subject to change due to the significant work that will be required to renovate the facility to bring it up to current standards, including the build-out of an entirely new information technology infrastructure. Last year, ChristianaCare received funding from Chester County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania totaling $5 million to assist in facility upgrades. ChristianaCare already serves residents of southern Chester County. Since 2020, ChristianaCare has provided primary care in three practices that are located in Jennersville, West Grove and Kennett Square. The West Grove practice has recently brought on additional providers and will soon begin offering virtual visits with ChristianaCare specialists. Combined, these three practices are now the “medical home” for 22,000 residents in these communities. ChristianaCare finalized the purchase of its West Grove campus from Tower Health in June 2022. The hospital has been closed since Dec. 31, 2021.
Innovative virtual practice offers continuous, coordinated and connected care ChristianaCare has launched Virtual Primary Care, a new health solution that offers the benefits of a long-term relationship with your primary care team, with the convenience of virtual care that can be accessed at home, at work or on the go, using a smartphone, tablet or other digital device. The practice is an offering of ChristianaCare’s Center for Virtual Health. “Virtual primary care in most markets does not establish an ongoing relationship between the patient and the provider — it’s on-demand care with the next available provider,” said Sarah Schenck, M.D., medical director of Virtualist Medicine at ChristianaCare. “ChristianaCare Virtual Primary Care is different. We offer a personalized approach in which patients have the attention of their care team who are all focused on their specific needs and health goals. Each care team knows their patients and is actively working to help them reach their personal health goals. And when patients need specialized care or services, our providers have access to ChristianaCare’s network and the ability to refer to the trusted services and specialists a patient might need outside of primary care.” The practice is accessible to residents of Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey, New York and Florida and available by monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription. Plans are available for people ages 5 and older and start as low as $35 per month. The subscription provides full access to virtual primary care services — with no additional fees or copays — including same-day appointments, extended hours on nights and weekends, secure text-messaging and the convenience of always-on care. Services that are not a part of primary care, such as emergency room visits, lab tests, diagnostic imaging and specialist referrals, are not included in the subscription and would be subject to the patient’s existing health insurance coverage. “At ChristianaCare we are reimagining health care by making it radically convenient and accessible, and by creating a unique and personal experience,” said Sharon Anderson, MS, RN, FACHE, ChristianaCare’s chief virtual health officer and president of ChristianaCare’s Center for Virtual Health. “The Virtual Primary Care practice goes beyond simply offering video visits to patients. We’ve transformed care so it no longer revolves around waiting for an appointment — it’s immediate, coordinated, continuous. Patients can now access virtual primary care 24/7 as well as a host of other health services — all through their computer, tablet or smartphone.” When individuals sign up, they’ll choose their care team of experts including a primary care provider, nurse and a patient digital ambassador (PDA). The patient digital ambassador serves as a personal health guide to assist individuals with registration and technology set-up for their virtual visits. As a care team member, the PDA is available as a personal health guide, while the primary care provider supports patients with their clinical care needs. Once enrolled, individuals will receive a welcome kit tailored to their needs with tools to assist in their care, such as monitoring blood pressure, weight and temperature. Benefits of ChristianaCare Virtual Primary Care: Schedule a virtual checkup, communicate using video, send photos through secure text messaging and discuss health concerns and treatment options. Schedule same-day appointments and enjoy extended hours on weekends. Get quick referrals to specialists. Create a personalized Working on Wellness Plan (also known as WOW plan) to help achieve healthy goals around stress management, exercise, nutrition, sleep and more. For more information, visit the ChristianaCare Center for Virtual Health or call 302-428-2400.