Beyond Medicine

Nemours Children’s Health Launches the Ginsburg Institute for Health Equity

BY KARA ODOM WALKER, MD, MPH, MSHS

IN 2021, Nemours Children’s Health announced the organization’s bold vision of redefining children’s health. We shared the evolution of our name and introduced our new logo. We explained that to create the healthiest generations of children, we must go “beyond medicine,” beyond what we have always been known for—excellence in pediatric medical care—to reach children where they live, learn, and play.

Now in 2022, Nemours Children’s is excited to announce another step toward achieving our goal and making good on our promise to be a leader in advancing health equity for children here in Delaware and throughout our country.

We know that chronic conditions such as asthma, obesity, diabetes, and behavioral disorders represent an enormous proportion of rising health care costs and loss of productivity over a lifetime for children. The social determinants that impact health outcomes in children are often poorly understood, especially in marginalized communities. Can you imagine eliminating avoidable health issues and keeping children healthy in the first place? Now, imagine a collaborative where those efforts could be synergized, where experts can work together across our health system to radically rethink and remedy these problems.

That endeavor is the Ginsburg Institute for Health Equity at Nemours Children’s Health, launched with a generous $25 million gift from philanthropist Alan H. Ginsburg and the Ginsburg Family Foundation. This first-of-its-kind initiative will advance health equity for children in medically underserved communities by building a world-class interdisciplinary program that goes beyond medicine alone. Part think-tank, part health-pilot incubator, the Ginsburg Institute will advance Nemours Children’s mission by providing the leadership, institutions, and services that are not readily available to improve children’s health. It will bring together a team of world-renowned pediatric specialists, behavioral economists, health services researchers, environmental health experts, data informaticists, and other professionals. This collaboration will forge new and innovative programs, engage in national policy discussions, and provide intellectual and practical leadership through clinical care, research, education, and quality improvement initiatives.

Nemours Children’s has had a long history of collaborating with schools, local agencies, and community organizations to support initiatives that improve the health of children in areas such as nutrition, physical activity, flu vaccinations, and literacy screenings. Now we have gone one step further by creating a place to research and test new ideas and to share our findings through local, national, and international publications and forums, and ultimately change how health for children is achieved.

It’s a transformative gift. It’s a lofty goal. It’s a new way of thinking and approaching health. Nemours Children’s has served Delaware and its surrounding region for more than 80 years. And while we will always be available to those children who need our care, we are excited to be proactive too. We want to proactively change how we view children’s health, allowing all kids to reach their full potential and lead more productive lives.

Kara Odom Walker, MD, MPH, MSHS is the executive vice president and chief population health officer at Nemours Children’s Health.