VNA Health Care is a humanitarian, not-for-profit organization that provides comprehensive primary care and community health services for people living in suburban Chicago and beyond. VNA strives to improve health equity and reduce health disparities with high quality, accessible, and compassionate care delivered in VNA health centers, community settings and patient homes. Federally funded community health centers (CHCs) provide affordable healthcare options to more than 28 million people in towns and cities across the U.S. The clinics are designed to improve access to primary care services regardless of whether patients have insurance, speak languages other than English, or live in remote areas.

VNA Provides Compassionate Care to Those Who Need it the Most

A VNA HouseCalls Nurse Practitioner saw a patient for a hospital follow-up appointment in the home. A VNA Home Health Registered Nurse then saw this patient along with a Spanish interpreter to educate him on the importance of taking his diabetic medications and to make sure he had all necessary blood glucose monitoring supplies and wound care supplies. She taught the patient's wife how
to take care of his wound and instructed them on the signs and symptoms of infection and she maintained contact with the family to ensure that they were managing well. In an effort to support this patient’s new healthy lifestyle, the nurse engaged the patient in VNA’s fruit and vegetable prescription program, Fresh First and each week she delivered a box of fresh fruit and vegetables and provided the patient and his family with diabetic education in the patient’s primary language. The nurse also referred the patient to meet with the diabetic educator. Once the patient’s blood glucose was controlled, and he was taking his medications as directed, the patient's wound began to heal. The patient and his family began positive lifestyle dietary changes and actively managed his diabetes.