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A prescription for good health

Michelle Axe leads Food Is Medicine initiatives at ChristianaCare and helps shape statewide efforts to connect patients with healthy food, nutrition support and community resources.

Community Health Program Manager

As more health systems, policymakers and insurers recognize the role of nutrition in preventing and managing disease, Michelle Axe is working to make Food Is Medicine a standard part of health care.

Axe, manager of Food Is Medicine programs at ChristianaCare, oversees initiatives that connect patients with healthy food, nutrition education, health coaching and community-based support as part of their care plans.
 Her team addresses food insecurity while improving outcomes for people living with chronic disease, pregnant women and other populations facing health-related nutrition challenges. Axe works with clinicians, dietitians, health coaches, community health workers and community partners to provide medically tailored meals, medically tailored groceries, produce prescriptions and nutrition education. These interventions embed nutritious food into treatment, alongside traditional medical care.

Healthier Meals, Better Outcomes When patients have access to nourishing food, they’re more likely to keep their conditions under control and avoid complications. Better nutrition can support lower blood sugar, improved blood pressure and overall improved wellness. Food support can also reduce the need for emergency visits and hospital stays, improving health outcomes in meaningful ways beyond filling a plate.

Outside of ChristianaCare, Axe plays a key role in statewide conversations about how Delaware can advance Food Is Medicine strategies. She serves as co-chair of the Delaware Food Is Medicine Funding, Policy and Sustainability Working Group, alongside Delaware’s deputy secretary for Medicaid, placing her at the center of discussions about policy, community partnerships and the future of nutrition-focused health care in Delaware. 

Axe can provide on-the-ground insight into what it takes to move nutrition interventions from theory to practice and how health systems can measure their impact on patients and communities. 

Topics Axe can discuss include: •	Why health systems are increasingly prescribing food alongside traditional treatments.
•	The connection between food insecurity, chronic disease and rising health care costs.
•	Can medically tailored meals reduce hospitalizations and improve outcomes?
•	How Food Is Medicine programs are supporting healthier pregnancies and families.
•	What it takes to scale Food Is Medicine from pilot projects to sustainable health care programs.






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ChristianaCare Expands Access to Physical Therapy With New In Home Collaboration With Luna

ChristianaCare is joining forces with Luna, the leading provider of in home, in person outpatient physical therapy, to expand access to care by bringing hands on physical therapy directly into patients’ homes.

The new service, ChristianaCare Physical Therapy At Home, Powered by Luna, will begin taking appointments in June. The collaboration is designed to reduce barriers to care, support strong recovery outcomes and give patients a convenient way to begin physical therapy.

 Care Delivered Where Patients Need It Most Unlike remote or virtual therapy, the service will provide one on one, hands on care delivered by licensed physical therapists in the convenience of a patient’s home or office. Through Luna’s platform, patients can request care and are matched with a licensed physical therapist who delivers 45 to 55 minute in home sessions and continues in person care throughout the patient’s treatment plan.

“Our collaboration with Luna reflects a simple belief: if we can safely deliver high quality care in the home, we should make that option available,” said Jennifer Thomas, MBA, MS, vice president, Rehabilitation Services at ChristianaCare. “By meeting patients where they are, we remove common barriers to care and help people stay engaged in their recovery, regain independence and remain connected to daily life.” 

Designed to Help More Patients Get Started Too many people who are referred to physical therapy never take the first step. Research on patients referred to physical therapy has found that only about 50% to 76% attend an initial appointment. Travel challenges, scheduling conflicts and difficulty accessing care can all get in the way.

 
ChristianaCare Physical Therapy At Home, Powered by Luna, is designed to make it easier for patients to begin care without delay by bringing licensed physical therapists directly to them and offering scheduling that fits into daily life.

“Our focus is on timely access and helping patients get started,” Thomas said. “When care is easier to access and fits into a person’s routine, it is much more likely they will begin treatment. From there, our care teams support patients through a plan that is tailored to their needs and focused on meaningful recovery.” 

Different From Home Health Care ChristianaCare Physical Therapy At Home, Powered by Luna, follows an outpatient care model, not home health care. Patients do not need to be homebound to receive services. The program focuses on improving strength, balance and movement and is typically covered under Medicare Part B. This differs from home health care, which serves homebound patients who need short term medical services and is usually covered under Medicare Part A.

ChristianaCare Physical Therapy At Home, Powered by Luna, can address many of the conditions commonly treated by ChristianaCare Rehabilitation Services, including orthopedic and sports injuries, post surgical rehabilitation, geriatric care, vestibular therapy, women’s health and lymphedema.

Experienced Partner With Broad Clinical Expertise Luna has extensive experience delivering in home outpatient physical therapy and partners with health systems nationwide.

“We are proud to work with ChristianaCare to expand access to high quality physical therapy in the home,” said Lily Beltran, co-founder and President at Luna. “Our shared focus is on removing barriers to care and delivering consistent, hands on therapy that helps patients recover, stay engaged and achieve their goals.”

The service is covered by most major insurance plans, including Medicare, with the same co pay as facility based physical therapy. Patients can request in home care by calling ChristianaCare Rehab Services’ access center at 302-623-1500.

ChristianaCare Physical Therapy At Home, Powered by Luna is a service offering of ChristianaCare Rehabilitation Services, which provides comprehensive, patient centered rehabilitation care across a wide range of settings, including outpatient clinics, inpatient facilities, community locations and now in the home. 



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ChristianaCare Advances New Health Campus in Camden, Delaware to Close Care Gaps

ChristianaCare has taken another major step to expand access to high quality care across Delaware by submitting a Notice of Intent to the Delaware Health Resources Board to develop a new health campus in Camden. Like the Georgetown campus announced in February, the proposed campus will include a health center and a neighborhood hospital and is part of the $865 million statewide commitment announced last July.

 
 “For many people in central Delaware, getting timely emergency or specialty care can still mean long drives or long waits,” said Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, president and CEO of ChristianaCare. “We are investing in facilities that bring care closer to where people live. This campus reflects our commitment to ensuring every Delawarean, no matter their ZIP code, can count on timely, compassionate, high-quality care close to home.”

Closing Care Gaps in Central and Southern Delaware
The approximately 38,000‑square‑foot Camden campus will be located on the west side of Route 13, just south of Lochmeath Way. It is expected to open in late 2028 or early 2029 and will bring primary care, specialty care and outpatient services together in one location, supported by eight emergency department beds and eight inpatient beds. The project will create 83 new jobs for the community, including 60 positions at the neighborhood hospital and 23 at the health center. 

Kent and Sussex counties are both designated as Medically Underserved Areas by the Health Resources and Services Administration. At the same time, the region is growing quickly. By 2030, the population in central and southern Delaware is expected to increase by 8 percent, with residents aged 65 and older growing even faster, by 22 percent. 

Shortages in primary care, behavioral health and specialty services have forced many residents to travel long distances for care. The Camden campus will help change that by bringing essential services closer to home.

Expanding Capacity on a Strong Foundation The Camden campus represents a $58.1 million investment and reflects ChristianaCare’s focus on access, coordination and community need. 

ChristianaCare already provides a broad range of services in Kent County, including primary care, specialty care, behavioral health, rehabilitation, home health, hospice and virtual care. The Camden campus will build on this foundation by increasing capacity and making care more convenient as demand grows.

Partnering to Deliver Care Close to Home ChristianaCare is partnering with Emerus Holdings, Inc. on the neighborhood hospital component. Emerus is the nation’s leading developer of this model, with 49 acute care facilities across the country. 

“Communities are stronger when people can depend on care close to home,” said Vic Schmerbeck, CEO of Emerus Holdings, Inc. “We are proud to partner with ChristianaCare to deliver a neighborhood hospital that provides high quality care in a setting designed around the needs of the community.”

Growing Access Across the Region The ChristianaCare Georgetown campus is planned for 20769 DuPont Boulevard at an estimated cost of $65.1 million. 

ChristianaCare is also expanding this innovative care model beyond Delaware. In July 2025, the system opened a neighborhood hospital at its West Grove Campus in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. Additional campuses are planned in Springfield and Aston in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.


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