Michael Jordan and Novant Health open second clinic amid global pandemic

Partnership continues work to close health equity gaps; enabled quick launch of COVID-19 response in most vulnerable communities

News provided by

Novant Health

Oct 19, 2020, 09:33 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- One year after the first Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic opened its doors in west Charlotte, North Carolina, a second location will provide vital access to primary and preventive care to individuals in the North End community, including those who are uninsured or underinsured.

Together these two medical clinics, which were made possible by a generous $7 million grant by Michael Jordan, offer comprehensive primary care, including behavioral health and social support services. The aim is to more directly address health equity gaps, which have further been exacerbated by COVID-19.

"We are thrilled the North End community of Charlotte will have access to the same comprehensive care that is transforming lives at the Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic in west Charlotte," said Carl Armato, CEO and president of Novant Health. "The impact of the first clinic has been measurable and if COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is the importance of having accessible, safe and quality care in communities that need it most. Michael Jordan's commitment to improving the health of our communities, and society, is deep-rooted. We're so grateful to be his partner in bringing care and resources to those who would otherwise be without."

In its first year, the Freedom Drive location has seen more than 3,350 patients, including more than 450 children. Of those, nearly 700 patients were assisted by the clinic's full-time social worker with nearly 80 patients being referred for additional behavioral health care.

In April, the Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic - Freedom Drive transitioned into a respiratory assessment center to meet the communities' needs for accessible COVID-19 screening, testing, treatment and education. In that period, the clinic and nearby mobile health unit saw 12,584 appointments and performed nearly 14,000 COVID-19 tests. The primary care offered at this location was temporarily transferred to a nearby clinic where its providers continued to see patients for non-COVID-19 visits.

"When we came together to mark the first clinic's opening last fall, no one could have predicted we would be facing a global pandemic just five months later," said Michael Jordan. "I'm so proud of the positive impact our clinic has had on the community so far, especially during COVID-19. Our second clinic will provide critical services to improve the health and lives of more Charlotteans, which is so important to me and to Novant Health."

The North End location is a 6,800 square foot clinic equipped with 12 patient exam rooms, an X-ray room and space for physical therapy. Most notably, it will also implement the same integrated services model as the Freedom Drive clinic in west Charlotte, to identify, treat, and support social determinants of health. This model includes embedding a full-time licensed clinical social worker on-site to help address those social determinants of health.

"When this clinic opened, I said 'We're here for the long haul. Not just in a crisis'," Armato added. "In fact, the first clinic enabled us to better respond to the COVID-19 crisis. It gave us the infrastructure to set up walk-up testing – no referral needed. It gave us a platform to educate and treat patients – close to home. It even gave us a distribution point for our universal masking initiative, where we provided free masks to anyone who needed them. This second location is critical, as it expands our impact and reach."

The Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Patients can schedule appointments online, including same-day, or learn more about providers and available services online at nhmichaeljordanclinic.org. Walk-in visits are also available.

North End
2701 Statesville Ave., Charlotte, NC 28206
Phone: 980-302-8521

West Charlotte
3149 Freedom Drive, Charlotte, NC 28208
Phone: 980-302-9405

Background on this virtual Zoom meeting
When: Friday, October 16, 2020
What: A virtual Zoom meeting to update Michael Jordan on the clinics' impact and progress. Michael Jordan also heard directly from two patients and the clinics' social worker about their experience at the Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic – Freedom Drive location.
Who: Michael Jordan; Carl Armato, president & CEO, Novant Health; Dr. Michael Hoben, senior physician executive, Novant Health; Sharelle Blake, patient, Charlotte, North Carolina; Bret Terry, patient, Charlotte, North Carolina; Jesse Cureton, chief consumer officer, Novant Health.

About Novant Health
Novant Health is an integrated network of physician clinics, outpatient facilities and hospitals that delivers a seamless and convenient healthcare experience to communities in Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia. The Novant Health network consists of more than 1,600 physicians and over 29,000 employees that provide care at nearly 700 locations, including 15 hospitals and hundreds of outpatient facilities and physician clinics. In 2020, Novant Health was the only healthcare system in North Carolina to be included on Forbes' Best Employers for Diversity list. Diversity MBA Magazine has also ranked Novant Health third on its 2019 list of "Best Places for Women & Diverse Managers to Work." Novant Health provided more than $993.2 million in community benefit, including financial assistance and services, in 2019.

For more information, please visit our website at NovantHealth.org. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

SOURCE Novant Health