See how Cone Health plans to invest $150M to increase local life expectancy
Health measures such as cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and weight can play a role in predicting how long a person will live. But another indicator may matter nearly as much: your address.
From his office near Moses Cone Memorial Hospital, Dr. Olu Jegede can drive five miles north on Elm Street and see patients who live to be an average of 85 years old. But if he drives just five miles south from the same hospital, people typically live to be 70 — a difference of 15 years. It's a hard truth that life expectancies are lower in urban and rural areas due to socioeconomic challenges such as poor housing, lack of transportation, an absence of fresh healthy food and limited access to health care.
'It's really disheartening to know that where you live, love, pray and play determines how long you live,' says Jegede, who is Cone Health's chief health equity and community impact officer. 'We want to ensure every individual, regardless of demographics, has an opportunity to be as healthy as possible. How do we do that? We have to go to where the people are.'
Cone Heath is doing just that by investing $150 million over five years to make care more accessible and affordable for all. Its goal is to improve health outcomes across five Triad counties.
One key initiative aims to improve life expectancy by five years in east Greensboro and other areas Cone Health serves. Known as CATCH 5 in 5, the program deploys community health teams to support residents through outreach events, financial assistance, nutrition support and wellness resources. The goal is to make improvements in three areas that are most vital to life expectancy:
'Cardiometabolic wellness,' which is based on factors including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight and smoking.
Cancer prevention through screenings for breast, colon, prostate, cervical and lung cancers.
Infant mortality — both Guilford County and North Carolina have higher than average rates of children dying before their 1st birthday.
So far, the effort has connected 1,200 people with health care providers, including more than 50% of patients who were at risk for cardiovascular disease and many who did not have a medical professional previously.
The health network is also working to build partnerships with area organizations. 'It's important to remember that no single health agency can solve for health equity alone,' Jegede says. 'This is everyone's work, and Cone Health strives to bring all these resources together.' For instance:
Cone Health's partnership with Guilford County Schools provides telehealth services in more than 25 Title I elementary schools. This helps children avoid missing school for sickness. Equally significant, parents miss less work to take their children to doctor's appointments and don't have to seek costly care in urgent cares or emergency departments. Preliminary data has found reductions in absenteeism and better academic performance. 'This is a game changer, and Cone Health is leading the way,' Jegede says.
A similar partnership with the Greensboro Housing Authority provides virtual care to residents of Hampton Homes right in their communities, removing significant barriers to health and wellness.
Cone Health is also partnering with North Carolina A&T Real Estate Foundation to build a $32 million mixed-use development called The Resurgent in east Greensboro. This will house Cone Health urgent and primary care clinics and provide needed medical services to an estimated 25,000 people annually.
The Aging Gracefully program, in collaboration with Community Housing Solutions, offers home visits and home modifications to improve safety for seniors who qualify.
These efforts are not only the right thing to do, but they also make for a more productive workforce and a better economy. 'The cost of health inequity is great,' Jegede says. 'When people don't have what they need to be healthy, we see more complications such as amputations and heart attacks.'
A recent study by Deloitte found the cost of health inequity in the United States is $320 billion annually and is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2040. 'I'm thankful that Cone Health is an organization that believes in this work,' Jegede says. 'When we work on health equity, everyone wins.'
Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, Cone Health features 150 physician practices, including primary and specialty care provided through Cone Health Medical Group and Triad HealthCare Network. Our footprint includes five hospitals and six ambulatory care centers across the North Carolina Piedmont. Cone Health provides Medicare Advantage insurance through HealthTeam Advantage.
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See how Cone Health plans to invest $150M to increase local life expectancy
Health measures such as cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and weight can play a role in predicting how long a person will live. But another indicator may matter nearly as much: your address. From his office near Moses Cone Memorial Hospital, Dr. Olu Jegede can drive five miles north on Elm Street and see patients who live to be an average of 85 years old. But if he drives just five miles south from the same hospital, people typically live to be 70 — a difference of 15 years. It's a hard truth that life expectancies are lower in urban and rural areas due to socioeconomic challenges such as poor housing, lack of transportation, an absence of fresh healthy food and limited access to health care. 'It's really disheartening to know that where you live, love, pray and play determines how long you live,' says Jegede, who is Cone Health's chief health equity and community impact officer. 'We want to ensure every individual, regardless of demographics, has an opportunity to be as healthy as possible. How do we do that? We have to go to where the people are.' Cone Heath is doing just that by investing $150 million over five years to make care more accessible and affordable for all. Its goal is to improve health outcomes across five Triad counties. One key initiative aims to improve life expectancy by five years in east Greensboro and other areas Cone Health serves. Known as CATCH 5 in 5, the program deploys community health teams to support residents through outreach events, financial assistance, nutrition support and wellness resources. The goal is to make improvements in three areas that are most vital to life expectancy: 'Cardiometabolic wellness,' which is based on factors including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight and smoking. Cancer prevention through screenings for breast, colon, prostate, cervical and lung cancers. Infant mortality — both Guilford County and North Carolina have higher than average rates of children dying before their 1st birthday. So far, the effort has connected 1,200 people with health care providers, including more than 50% of patients who were at risk for cardiovascular disease and many who did not have a medical professional previously. The health network is also working to build partnerships with area organizations. 'It's important to remember that no single health agency can solve for health equity alone,' Jegede says. 'This is everyone's work, and Cone Health strives to bring all these resources together.' For instance: Cone Health's partnership with Guilford County Schools provides telehealth services in more than 25 Title I elementary schools. This helps children avoid missing school for sickness. Equally significant, parents miss less work to take their children to doctor's appointments and don't have to seek costly care in urgent cares or emergency departments. Preliminary data has found reductions in absenteeism and better academic performance. 'This is a game changer, and Cone Health is leading the way,' Jegede says. A similar partnership with the Greensboro Housing Authority provides virtual care to residents of Hampton Homes right in their communities, removing significant barriers to health and wellness. Cone Health is also partnering with North Carolina A&T Real Estate Foundation to build a $32 million mixed-use development called The Resurgent in east Greensboro. This will house Cone Health urgent and primary care clinics and provide needed medical services to an estimated 25,000 people annually. The Aging Gracefully program, in collaboration with Community Housing Solutions, offers home visits and home modifications to improve safety for seniors who qualify. These efforts are not only the right thing to do, but they also make for a more productive workforce and a better economy. 'The cost of health inequity is great,' Jegede says. 'When people don't have what they need to be healthy, we see more complications such as amputations and heart attacks.' A recent study by Deloitte found the cost of health inequity in the United States is $320 billion annually and is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2040. 'I'm thankful that Cone Health is an organization that believes in this work,' Jegede says. 'When we work on health equity, everyone wins.' Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, Cone Health features 150 physician practices, including primary and specialty care provided through Cone Health Medical Group and Triad HealthCare Network. Our footprint includes five hospitals and six ambulatory care centers across the North Carolina Piedmont. Cone Health provides Medicare Advantage insurance through HealthTeam Advantage.
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The collaboration will connect more North Carolinians with Boulder's compassionate and evidence-based recovery support services. 'It's a privilege to partner with Cone Health to extend high-quality healthcare to our communities: ensuring care continuity, quality, and flexibility for patients to access care anywhere they are.' — Stephanie Strong, CEO and Founder of Boulder Care GREENSBORO, NC, UNITED STATES, May 6, 2025 / / -- Boulder Care, a leading provider of telehealth-based addiction treatment, is proud to announce a new agreement with Cone Health to expand access to critical care for individuals living with opioid and alcohol use disorders in North Carolina. The collaboration will bring Boulder's telehealth model of care—grounded in respect, compassion, and long-term support—to individuals in Greensboro and beyond, ensuring that people living with substance use disorders have access to the care they need, when they need it. Stephanie Strong, founder and CEO of Boulder Care and native North Carolinian, commented on the news, 'Boulder's low-barrier care model helps patients access immediate help for their addiction, and remain in treatment long-term without taking time away from their work or families. It's a privilege to partner with Cone Health to extend high-quality healthcare to our communities: ensuring care continuity, quality, and flexibility for patients to access care anywhere they are.' The new agreement will allow Cone Health's Behavioral Health Services to refer individuals to Boulder Care, which offers a comprehensive suite of services, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and evidence-based recovery support services. With Boulder's telehealth capabilities, patients can access these services from the comfort and privacy of their own homes, using smartphones, tablets, or computers. 'When a person struggling with addiction makes the decision to get help, we want to provide that help as soon as possible,' says Dave Jenkins, the executive director of Cone Health Behavioral Health Services, 'Having treatment available through telehealth makes it even easier to provide the care and support we want to provide our patients.' The collaboration will focus on individuals aged 18 and older living with opioid use disorder (OUD) or alcohol use disorder (AUD) who are seeking telehealth addiction treatment. Patients will receive customized care plans tailored to their specific recovery goals, with a focus on long-term wellness and harm reduction. Boulder's commitment to evidence-based, longitudinal treatment aims to reduce the risk of overdose and other adverse health outcomes associated with substance use. The collaboration also emphasizes the importance of addressing social determinants of health and working closely with community organizations to ensure a holistic approach to addiction recovery. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about Boulder's treatment options, please download the Boulder Care app on your mobile phone or visit to enroll. You can also enroll by telephone at 866-901-4860. Boulder accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and most insurance plans. About Boulder Care Boulder is a leader in high-quality addiction medicine, providing evidence-based treatment for opioid and alcohol use over telehealth. Dedicated care teams collaborate to provide low-barrier access to medication-based treatment and emphasize long-term support as patients work toward unique recovery goals. Boulder partners with health plans and community organizations to offer affordable treatment to patients across the U.S. Learn more about Boulder's mission to improve the lives of people with substance use disorders at or contact us at [email protected]. Katie ONeill Boulder Care email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
