health disparities

A South Florida organization dedicated to empowering student health ambassadors has taken top honors in a statewide innovation challenge to address health access and equality. Health Information Project (HIP) was awarded a $40,000 grand prize in the GuideWell Reshaping Health Access Challenge, a statewide competition focused on addressing health disparities in Florida.

The three innovative ideas from North Florida organizations advancing to the finals include:

Innovation continues to be an increasingly important tool as we work to reimagine how care can and should be delivered. For us, being able to provide access to high quality, affordable health care is our top priority. We can’t do this without outside-the-box thinking and a creative approach.

It has become especially apparent how critical innovation is as the world fights back against COVID-19. Researchers, scientists and innovators across the globe are working to develop a vaccine for the virus. While that happens, we are relying on accurate and accessible testing. Currently, most of the COVID-19 tests are slow, expensive and – if you’ve had to take one – they can be pretty invasive.

GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation (GuideWell), the parent to a family of forward-thinking companies focused on transforming health care, is launching Reshaping Health Access, a statewide challenge to identify solutions focused on addressing health access and literacy to underserved populations in Florida.

Both the COVID-19 health pandemic and the recent focus on racial injustice are critical public health issues that are shining a spotlight on the need to address health disparities. Reshaping Health Access will serve as one of several efforts GuideWell is taking to help our communities strive to achieve new levels of equality.

GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation (GuideWell), the parent to a family of forward-thinking companies focused on transforming health care; Florida Blue, the state’s leading health insurer; and Florida Blue Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Florida Blue, today announced $25 million in investments over five years to organizations focused on diversity and inclusion and health equity in the communities the organizations serve. The commitment coincided with the launch of the company’s Equity Alliance, an initiative focused on addressing systemic racism and resulting health disparities for Black Americans.

The new financial commitment builds upon the organizations’ existing contributions and programs to support economic, social and health causes in their communities. In 2019, the enterprise donated more than $1.2 million in grants to more than 80 Black and community development organizations.