Catalyst Health Network Launches Nonprofit Foundation to Address Healthcare Disparities

Catalyst Community Foundation aims to make primary care more affordable and accessible to all of North Texas.

PLANO, TEXAS — October 21, 2020 — Catalyst Health Network, a URAC-accredited clinically integrated network of primary care physicians, recently established the Catalyst Community Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to transforming communities—particularly historically underserved neighborhoods—by making affordable, advanced primary care accessible to all.

“Texas leads the nation in uninsured people, with more than 4.3 million Texans lacking health insurance. Furthermore, we have millions more that are functionally uninsured through high deductible plans that leave them using the emergency room as a last resort when they get very sick, causing a massive amount of people to not receive care until it is prohibitively expensive,” said Catalyst Health Network CEO Dr. Christopher Crow. “The Catalyst Community Foundation aims to give those with philanthropic hearts for healthcare and healthcare disparities a highly-impactful way to direct funding to the frontlines of the community, connecting primary care to people who need it most.”

Short-term, funds raised by the Foundation will be used to bridge the healthcare gap through partnerships with local churches, community centers and schools, as well as on public education campaigns about the value of primary care. The Catalyst Community Foundation will also embark on longer-term initiatives that increase the number of primary care physicians with extended care teams—clinicians and other experts whose work focuses on helping patients navigate issues that range from accessing mental health resources to addressing social determinates of care. Together with other longstanding partners, the Foundation aims to build a network of community resources that can create immediate and tangible impact.

“The COVID pandemic revealed disparities in healthcare that we can begin the process of addressing through education, advocacy and actual boots on the ground,” said Dr. Crow. “By putting the right people and the right dollars in the right place and partnering with those community leaders who are already making an impact, we can create relationships built on trust that will ultimately result in happier, healthier and more prosperous communities.”

Since May, Catalyst Health Network has worked in partnership with Project Unity and has made significant headway on increasing primary care’s presence in South Dallas. Through the “Together We Test” program, Catalyst Health Network has provided free COVID-19 testing at Dallas-area churches located in healthcare deserts.

“Catalyst stepped in to help when state and local officials couldn’t – or wouldn’t – offer testing at the rate our hardest-hit communities needed,” said Richie Butler, founder of Project Unity and senior pastor at St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church. “They have quickly become a trusted partner in neighborhoods that are understandably weary of the health system, and I’m looking forward to helping the Catalyst Community Foundation develop more initiatives that continue to improve quality of life here well past the pandemic.

Specific initiatives will cover three areas vital to improving health outcomes: education and advocacy, accessibility and affordability.

• Education and Advocacy: Developing programs that show how primary care produces better patient outcomes and financial savings compared to sick care and working with community leaders to advocate for change at the grassroots, state and national levels.
• Accessibility: Replicating Catalyst Health Network’s team-based care model in existing primary care offices and with non-traditional partners, such as churches and schools, investing in telehealth to enable physicians and their extended care teams to reach patients in underserved ZIP codes.
• Affordability: Exploring and creating alternate payment models that encourage and empower patients to proactively seek care well before emergent conditions arise.
  Catalyst Community Foundation has started an executive search for a leadership team, including an Executive Director and Board of Directors. For more information, email foundation@catalysthealthnetwork.com

About Catalyst Community Foundation

Catalyst Community Foundation is a physician-led, 501(c)3 organization dedicated to transforming communities and bridging the healthcare gap through the advancement and accessibility of affordable primary care to people in historically underserved communities. To learn more, visit www.catalysthealthnetwork.com/foundation.

About Catalyst Health Network

Catalyst Health Network is a URAC-accredited clinically integrated network of primary care physicians who have come together to provide high-quality care, helping communities thrive. With nearly 1,000 primary care providers, with over 300 office locations, and 100 care team members, serving over one million patients, Catalyst Health Network improves health, coordinates care and lowers cost – creating sustainable and predictable value. For more information, visit www.catalysthealthnetwork.com or follow @CatalystHN on Twitter.