Amid uncertainty around federal Medicaid cuts following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Newark, Del.-based ChristianaCare is doubling down on its mission to provide accessible and affordable healthcare.
In early July, the health system shared plans to invest more than $865 million across Delaware over the next three years to help create more employment and new construction.
Becker’s connected with Janice Nevin, MD, president and CEO of ChristianaCare, to discuss the current healthcare landscape and how the system’s investment will expand community-based services, bolster population health and meet evolving regional care needs.
Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Question: How are you leading ChristianaCare to stay focused on long-term investment while monitoring and preparing for the potential impact of Medicaid cuts?
Dr. Janice Nevin: In these uncertain times, I believe that the future of quality healthcare in America will be shaped by those who take action today to invest in, care for, and be a champion for the needs of patients. At our core, ChristianaCare is guided by love and excellence, and with these significant capital investments, we are leaning in and sending a clear signal to all Delawareans that we will be there to care for them for years to come. It has always been our mission to provide high quality, affordable care, and these investments will ensure that care is delivered close to home — or even in the home — and is accessible to patients in a lower cost setting. These long-term investments in primary, specialty and emergency care will address the needs of our neighbors when they need it the most.
The bill that Congress recently passed has me concerned about the people who will lose access to Medicaid or may not be able to afford health insurance. The premiums on the exchanges that the ACA credits may disappear, so I worry that we will see an increase in the number of uninsured in Delaware, the Mid-Atlantic region, and nationally. That is why our investments over these next three years are so important.
We are investing in building a healthcare system equipped for long-term success, one with a sustainable infrastructure that will advance healthcare and support different payment models to address access and affordability. ChristianaCare is showing Delawareans that they can count on us to be their partners in health.
Q: How are you prioritizing where and how to invest $865 million to ensure the greatest long-term impact for Delaware’s communities?
JN: Fundamentally, our mission is simple, yet profound: We take care of people. Our priorities are based on the evolving needs of our community. ChristianaCare has made a game-changing investment into population health that is informed, in part, by a comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment that we undertake every three years. The most recent one was this year. This needs assessment allows community leaders and those we serve to provide input on their health needs.
The work we are doing in Middletown, Del., to build an 87,000-square-foot ChristianaCare Health Center on land that surrounds a freestanding emergency department is a great example of how we are breathing life into our long-term strategy. We know that area is growing; in fact, we expect the population to grow by another 8% by 2029. The expansion will significantly improve access to high-quality healthcare services for residents of Middletown and surrounding areas, ensuring that more people can receive the care they need close to home.
Q: What’s your message to other health system leaders also looking to expand and grow their portfolio amid federal policy uncertainties?
JN: We at ChristianaCare are looking to the future. Guided by our values, love and excellence, we challenge ourselves to walk toward problems and develop solutions. We do the right thing, even when it’s the hard thing.
I believe that providing care close to home — even in the home — is how we improve health and make care affordable. By investing in preventative and community-based care, we are helping people manage their health before acute care is needed. And when a higher level of care is needed, we are there and ready to provide the right care in the most appropriate setting.
Foundational to all of this work is the well-being of our caregivers. An important aspect of our growth strategy is that it supports our ability to continuously invest in our caregivers — recruiting and retaining top talent, reducing administrative burdens and creating a culture of wellness that sustains us.
