Promotores de Salud (community health workers)

Initiated in 2009, the Promotores de Salud program seeks to connect under-served Latinos in Murray and Whitefield counties of Northwest Georgia with basic healthcare services and education. Modeled after a successful program in El Paso, TX, the Promotores de Salud program helps strengthen and create community health networks. Promotores de Salud trains community members (Promotores) to perform five main roles: (1) to create a bridge between the community and healthcare providers, (2) to provide healthcare education and information in a culturally appropriate manner, (3) to assist Latinos in accessing and maintaining health services, (4) to counsel and support individuals, and (5) to advocate for the basic healthcare needs of the community. Promotores reach under-served Latinos in the community through the hospital and its HealthMobile unit, the health department and school system, as well as local physicians and employers. Critical to the success of the intervention is the trust created between the community and the Promotores.

By increasing access to healthcare, Promotores seek to both prevent illness as well as reduce costs to the community by preventing more serious complications through consistent care and attention. The basic needs addressed by the Promotores are prenatal care, diabetes hospitalization, diabetes foot care, and breast health. The Promotores de Salud is funded and organized by the Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership, a non-profit collaborative effort between healthcare providers, business, government, and educators.

The goal of Promotores de Salud is to improve the delivery of healthcare to under-served Latinos by using trained community members (Promotores) to bridge the gap between Latinos and healthcare providers.

In 2009, Promotores de Salud helped 16 pregnant women with no previous prenatal care receive health services. At the time of report, 14 delivered full-term babies and two were still pregnant. Estimated prevented cost to the community was $1,665,860. Of 79 diabetic individuals who received managed care through the Promotores, only four were hospitalized compared to an average hospitalization rate of 24% for diabetic individuals. Among the managed diabetic individuals, 79% received foot checks. Estimated prevented cost to the community due to managed diabetes care was $258,165. Promotores helped 41 women receive mammograms, resulting in $239,905 prevented costs through early detection.