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Forbes Ranks ChristianaCare as one of the best employers for diversity and inclusion in the United States

Apr 23, 2021

3 min

ChristianaCare also ranks as No. 1 overall employer for diversity and inclusion in Delaware, No. 14 among U.S. health systems


(WILMINGTON, Del. – April 23) magazine ranked ChristianaCare as one of the best employers for diversity and inclusion in the United States in its list of Best Employers for Diversity 2021.


ChristianaCare also ranked as the No. 1 employer for diversity in Delaware and the No. 14 health system for diversity in the nation.


ChristianaCare ranked 121st out of the 500 employers that were recognized.


“At ChristianaCare, our mission is simple, but profound – we take care of people,” said Janice Nevin, M.D., MPH, president and CEO of ChristianaCare, which is Delaware’s largest private employer. “And caring for people means that we work together, guided by our values of love and excellence, to bring equity and inclusion to everyone we serve, including our own caregivers. We are committed to building a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve, as we aspire to deliver high-quality, accessible care and achieve health equity.”



ChristianaCare has committed to being an anti-racism organization and works to ensure that commitment is reflected through the organization’s policies, programs, and practices. (Read more about ChristianaCare’s anti-racism commitment here.)


ChristianaCare’s inclusion efforts also include the launch of 10 employee resource groups, which connect caregivers who have a common interest or bond with one another. Formed by employees across all demographics – such as disability, gender, race, military status, national origin, sexual orientation, etc. – these voluntary grassroots groups work to improve inclusion and diversity at ChristianaCare. More than 750 caregivers at ChristianaCare participate in employee resource groups.


ChristianaCare also recently launched LeadershipDNA, a new leadership development program that is specifically targeted to underrepresented, diverse populations and is designed to foster professional and career development.


“We are grateful for this recognition, which affirms that our organization is committed to taking on the meaningful work to help our caregivers be exceptional today and even better tomorrow,” said Pamela Ridgeway, chief diversity officer and vice president of Inclusion and Diversity at ChristianaCare. “The fact that our caregivers can see the value and feel the impact of our inclusion and diversity efforts illustrates the importance for us to continue to push onward.”



Forbes’ Best Employers for Diversity were identified from an independent survey of more than 50,000 U.S. employees working for companies employing at least 1,000 people in their U.S. operations. The employees were asked to give their opinion on a series of statements surrounding the topic of age, gender equality, ethnicity, disability, LGBTQ+, and general diversity concerning their own employer.


The survey also gave survey participants the chance to evaluate other employers in their respective industries that stand out with regard to diversity. Only the recommendations of minority groups were considered. Also factored in was diversity engagement amongst managers and diversity among leadership.


About ChristianaCare

Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, ChristianaCare is one of the country’s most dynamic health care organizations, centered on improving health outcomes, making high-quality care more accessible and lowering health care costs. ChristianaCare includes an extensive network of primary care and outpatient services, home health care, urgent care centers, three hospitals (1,299 beds), a freestanding emergency department, a Level I trauma center and a Level III neonatal intensive care unit, a comprehensive stroke center and regional centers of excellence in heart and vascular care, cancer care and women’s health. It also includes the pioneering Gene Editing Institute.

ChristianaCare is nationally recognized as a great place to work, rated by Forbes as the 5th best health system to work for in the United States and by IDG Computerworld as one of the nation’s Best Places to Work in IT. ChristianaCare is rated by HealthGrades as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals and continually ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek and other national quality ratings. ChristianaCare is a nonprofit teaching health system with more than 260 residents and fellows. With the unique CareVio™ data-powered care coordination service and a focus on population health and value-based care, ChristianaCare is shaping the future of health care.

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

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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.

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

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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.

ChristianaCare Forms Joint Venture For Cardiovascular Ambulatory Surgery Center featured image

4 min

ChristianaCare Forms Joint Venture For Cardiovascular Ambulatory Surgery Center

ChristianaCare, Cardiovascular Physicians of Delaware and its partner organization, US Health Partners, have formed a joint venture to establish a new cardiovascular ambulatory surgery center in Newark. This new facility will be launched through the ChristianaCare Atlas ASC partnership. This is a pivotal moment showcasing the power of a local health system, strength of a national ASC management company, and expert community-based physicians working together to deliver a lower cost, easy-to-access model of care to our community. “The ChristianaCare Cardiovascular Surgery Center at Newark represents a deep partnership between ChristianaCare and community cardiovascular experts who are truly committed to caring for this region,” said Kert F. Anzilotti, M.D., MBA, chief physician executive and president of The Medical Group at ChristianaCare. “By working side by side with trusted community physicians, we are aligning expertise and decision making to strengthen heart care across the region and ensure it continues to evolve with the needs of the people we serve.” “By expanding access to outpatient heart care, we can reduce wait times, improve the patient experience and lower the overall cost of care—while using our hospital resources more wisely and preserving capacity for patients who need complex or urgent cardiac services,” Anzilotti added. “With over 30 years of providing cardiac care to Delaware residents, we are proud to collaborate on this center,” said Brian Sarter, M.D., president of Cardiovascular Physicians of Delaware. For patients, this is about getting the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Patients will receive specialized heart care in a focused setting designed for same day procedures, with a smoother experience, faster recovery and seamless coordination with hospital care if it’s ever needed.” “This joint venture brings together ChristianaCare and Cardiovascular Physicians of Delaware’s strong clinical leadership and a proven outpatient care model,” said Aaron Snyder, M.D., chief executive officer of US Health Partners. “Our aim is to build and run a center that is efficient, reliable and patient-focused from day one, so physicians can focus on care and patients can count on a high-quality same-day experience close to home.” Reducing the Cost of Heart Care Ambulatory surgery centers lower the cost of heart care by safely moving appropriate procedures out of the hospital and into a more efficient outpatient setting. Most patients return home the same day, while hospitals preserve capacity for complex and urgent cases. As reported in Ambulatory Surgery Center News, outpatient procedures performed in ambulatory surgery centers cost 30 to 40 percent less than the same care delivered in hospitals, improving access and efficiency as demand for heart care continues to grow. The move also frees up limited hospital resources to better care for people with more complex or urgent cardiovascular needs. Meeting a Growing Need for Heart Care Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in Delaware, and demand for cardiovascular care is rising. According to the Delaware Population Consortium, the number of New Castle County residents age 65 and older is projected to increase by 23 percent by 2035, increasing pressure on cardiovascular services. Forecasts show outpatient heart and vascular procedures could reach nearly 10,800 annually for New Castle County residents by 2029 and more than 24,000 across the broader region, according to health care analytics firm Sg2. At the same time, hospital operating room capacity remains limited. Cardiovascular Physicians of Delaware’s many decades of experience in Newark and across the state positioned the group as a natural fit for the collaboration. Focused on Same Day Cardiovascular Care Expected to open in late 2027, the nearly 9,000 square foot center will be located on the second floor of the HealthCare Center at Christiana, across from Christiana Hospital. The center will focus exclusively on outpatient heart and vascular procedures. Services will include diagnostic heart catheterizations, coronary and peripheral vascular interventions, ablation procedures, pacemaker/ implantable defibrillator implantations and other minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures. Hospital based cardiac care will continue to be available for patients who need inpatient treatment, emergency care or more complex services. Other Details The project will cost an estimated $9.3 million and is expected to create 14 full time jobs across clinical, administrative, leadership and support roles. The facility represents an additional investment beyond ChristianaCare’s previously announced $865 million commitment to Delaware, reinforcing the organization’s focus on expanding services and improving health outcomes statewide. Key features of the surgery center include two new cardiac catheterization/ electrophysiology labs, dedicated pre operative and post anesthesia care space and on site sterile processing and administrative areas. Atlas Healthcare Partners will manage and operate the center, while Cardiovascular Physicians of Delaware will provide clinical oversight and perform outpatient surgical cases. ChristianaCare and Atlas Healthcare Partners formed the joint venture in 2024 to build an ambulatory surgery center network across the Mid-Atlantic region.

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