title: A unique model of the community health worker: the MGH Chelsea Community Health Improvement team.
abstract: With current trends in legislation around the delivery of patient care, the role of a community health worker (CHW) is gaining growing and much deserved attention. However, a system needs to be built for any CHW program to be successful and sustainable. This article describes a unique approach to community health work at the Massachusetts General Hospital Chelsea HealthCare Center where a well-integrated CHW model provides support for everyone involved in patient care: patients, providers, the community at large, and the internal CHW staff.
authors.affiliation: MGH Center for Community Health Improvement, MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Chelsea, MA 02150, USA. aspiro@partners.org
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spiro
authors.forename: Sarah Abernethy
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Oo
authors.forename: Danelle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marable
authors.forename: Jeffrey P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Collins
mesh_terms: D003150:Community Health Workers; D005194:Family Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D010348:Patient Care Team; D016730:Program Development; D019037:Urban Health Services