The Foundation has four major strategic priority areas:

Improve Access to Basic Healthcare

The uninsured rate in the Obici Healthcare Foundation’s service area ranges from 13% in Suffolk to 21% in Gates County, NC.  The uninsured and underinsured often go without medical care or end up using the emergency room for the care they need.  Individuals need a medical home and adequate access to health care to improve health outcomes. 

The Foundation will support programs designed to improve access to basic health care services in Western Tidewater and Gates County, NC.  Improved access includes greater utilization of primary care providers and oral health care provided by dentists, dental hygienists or dental care extenders; access to low-cost pharmaceutical services; medical transportation for seniors and persons with physical limitations; education and screenings for heart disease, cancer and asthma; and basic mental health services.  This Strategic Priority also includes approaches that can reduce the number of preventable emergency room visits and strategies to increase the supply of medical providers.

Obesity Prevention

According to research, behavior, poor nutrition, environment, sedentary lifestyles, cultural customs and beliefs, income and lack of information play a large role in causing people to be obese.  Prevention is recognized as the most effective approach for battling obesity. Early childhood presents the optimum opportunity to focus on obesity, especially if remediation strategies include persons and institutions that influence children, such as parents, teachers, physicians/pediatricians, peers, schools and afterschool programs.  The Foundation will support programs that provide comprehensive, evidence-based obesity proposals targeting children.  Proposals should demonstrate widespread community support and involvement.

Chronic Disease Management

Chronic diseases are the leading causes of illness and death in Virginia. The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion defines chronic disease as “those illnesses that are prolonged, preventable, do not resolve spontaneously, are rarely cured completely and that pose a significant burden in mortality, morbidity and cost.”  The four chronic diseases being targeted by the Foundation are: heart disease (especially hypertension), stroke, chronic lower respiratory diseases (formerly known as COPD) and diabetes. The Foundation will support cost effective proposals centered on disease management (e.g., telehealth medicine and home health nursing) as well as early intervention.

Insure More People

A study conducted by the Virginia Health Care Foundation reported that 1 million Virginians (about 15%) are uninsured.  The ranks of the uninsured are not limited to the unemployed, as nearly 74% of the uninsured in the state live in households with at least one full-time worker.  Many Western Tidewater residents are eligible for publically-funded insurance products but are not enrolled.  In addition, many workers qualify for employer sponsored medical insurance but cannot afford the co-payments or premiums.  The Foundation will support programs that increase enrollment in FAMIS, Medicaid and Medicare Part B and/or D. In addition, we support innovative strategies that expand participation in employer-based insurance products.