As healthcare organizations across the country grapple with rising costs and persistent disparities in access to treatment, leaders at Whitman-Walker Health System (WWHS) are utilizing community engagement, research and advocacy to help improve wellness outcomes throughout Washington, D.C.
Starting in 1973 and named in 1978 after former District resident and poet Walt Whitman and D.C. Civil-War era physician and women’s rights activist Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, Whitman-Walker offers has historically offered access to comprehensive healthcare.
Established in 2017, WWHS was designed to support research, policy initiatives, and philanthropy while allowing the Whitman-Walker Clinic to focus on direct patient care.
Dr. Heather Aaron, CEO of Whitman-Walker Health System, emphasized the structure was created with long-term sustainability in mind.
“The health system was created with [the] foresight of looking at how expensive it is to run healthcare in this country,” Aaron told The Informer.
Today, the organization continues to expand its reach through research initiatives, community partnerships, and efforts to address health inequities affecting underserved populations.
“Our commitment is to build on the trust that we have earned with the communities,” said Dr. Joachim Roski, chair of the Whitman-Walker Health System Board. “We’ve historically served the LGBTQ+ communities and extended and earned the trust of communities that are similarly disadvantaged in receiving the right care.”
In the District, some residents struggle with access to quality healthcare.
According to D.C. Health, the city has nine federally designated health professional shortage areas and eight medically underserved areas or populations, reflecting ongoing gaps in access to primary, dental and mental health services. These designations help identify communities where shortages of healthcare providers can create barriers to receiving timely and quality care.
Roski emphasized that quality healthcare should be accessible to everyone, regardless of personal circumstances.
“We believe that care should be excellent regardless of your race, your income levels, where you live, your sexual orientation and so forth,” he told The Informer.
Addressing Disparities, Furthering Research, Promoting Health
One of Whitman-Walker’s most visible investments in addressing health disparities is the Max Robinson Center, located east of the Anacostia River. The facility was developed through partnerships involving the District government, private investors and community stakeholders.
Tonya Vidal-Kinlow, a Whitman-Walker Health System board member, highlighted that the center represents a commitment to addressing longstanding differences in health outcomes across the city.
“This investment reflects our commitment to closing the stark disparity in life expectancy between District residents living east of the river and their peers in other parts of the city,” Vidal-Kinlow told The Informer.
The organization also works to ensure residents play an active role in developing solutions for their communities.
“WWHS also builds the relationships and infrastructure that make it possible for the clinic at Max Robinson to deliver high-quality care, and to create real opportunities for community members to participate in developing the health solutions that matter most to them,” Vidal-Kinlow added.
Whitman-Walker’s Institute for Health Research and Policy has become a major contributor to public health research. Over the past four years, the institute has enrolled more than 6,000 participants in medical and public health studies and has contributed to policy changes affecting LGBTQ+ healthcare access nationwide.
Research conducted through the institute has helped inform HIV-related public health initiatives, supported efforts to eliminate restrictions on blood donations from gay and bisexual men, and expanded access to affordable mental health services for young people in the District.
Aaron emphasized that improving community health also will require addressing factors beyond the walls of a doctor’s office. She also noted that the increasing number of grocery stores could positively influence both physical and mental health outcomes.
“When communities have access to healthy foods, it benefits people physically and mentally,” she said.
For Aaron, the overall message for WWHS is simple: “Health is wealth.”
“All the money in the world doesn’t matter,” she added, “if you don’t have your health.”
