Advancing Health: Beyond the Bedside: HonorHealth’s Commitment to Healthier Communities

Podcast: Advancing Health
Host: American Hospital Association (AHA)
Episode Release: June 9, 2025

Episode Overview

This Community Health Improvement (CHI) Week special episode of Advancing Health spotlights HonorHealth, a nonprofit health system in the Scottsdale and Phoenix area of Arizona. The discussion centers on how HonorHealth’s legacy-rooted programs, particularly the Desert Mission and its Adult Day Health Care, Living Well, and Food Bank services, address community needs beyond the traditional clinical setting. The episode emphasizes the significance of community partnerships, social determinants of health, and innovative resource navigation—showcasing strategies and stories that reinforce HonorHealth as an anchor institution for its region.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

HonorHealth’s History & Community-Driven Mission

[01:29–03:44]

• Michelle Pabas (VP, Government and Community Affairs) recounts HonorHealth’s origins:

  • Stemmed from a merger between Scottsdale Healthcare and John C. Lincoln over 12 years ago.
  • Legacy of Desert Mission dates back nearly a century, originating in response to tuberculosis and led by Helen Lincoln—grounded in neighbors caring for neighbors.
  • Four pillars of Desert Mission:
    • Food Bank
    • Adult Day Health Care
    • Early Childhood Education Center
    • Living Well Programs (resource navigation)
  • Prioritizing social determinants of health, as only 20% of health outcomes stem from actual medical care; the remaining 80% depend on environmental and social factors.
    • “We need to look beyond the walls of our hospitals. We need to be in the community.” (Michelle Pabas, 02:55)

• The Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) process is conducted every three years to identify and prioritize health needs in the community.

Adult Day Health Care: Supporting Older Adults and Caregivers

[04:42–08:02]

• Haley Micelli (Executive Director, Desert Mission) details the adult day health care program:

  • Faces urgent demographic trends: by 2030, 1 in 5 Americans will be over 65, and Alzheimer’s/dementia diagnoses continue to climb.

    • “By 2030, 1 in 5 Americans are going to be over 65… projections are up to 6.7 million Americans will have a diagnosis of dementia in 2024.” (Haley Micelli, 04:44)

  • Benefits include:

    • Delaying institutionalization, keeping older adults home longer.
    • Providing respite and support for caregivers, particularly those in the “sandwich generation.”
    • Enhancing social engagement and health outcomes for older adults.
    • Cost-effective alternative to traditional care options.
    • On-site full-time social worker and nurse; support groups for both participants and family caregivers.

  • Anecdotal Impact:

    • Adult day health care enables caregivers to manage work, family, and caring for aging relatives.
    • “It brings families together... allows folks with family members that have dementia or cognitive decline to be able to relate to people in a way that they haven’t been able to in a while.” (Haley Micelli, 06:34)

• Michelle Pabas adds:

  • Social and mental stimulation provided by the program can slow cognitive and physical decline.
    • “If you don’t have that constant stimulation both mentally and physically, we know that decline can be that much faster.” (Michelle Pabas, 07:02)
  • A shared story: A woman characterized her husband’s time in the program as “the best years of their life” because of the support and community it offered.

The Living Well Program: Connecting Patients to Resources

[08:25–11:01]

• Ann Costa (Director, Living Well) discusses expansion into social determinants of health:

  • The Living Well program developed to address unmet needs identified through social determinant screenings, especially food insecurity.
  • Resource navigators use a statewide platform integrated with HonorHealth’s electronic records to connect patients with needed services promptly.
    • “We have been able to pilot that at Desert Mission… we can coordinate and collaborate very closely with our medical healthcare team as well as us being the community based organization.” (Ann Costa, 09:31)
  • Over 1,000 referrals for food have been made in the past year, with food often serving as the “gateway” to further support, such as utility or housing assistance.

• Key Issues Identified:

  • Food insecurity as a primary focus—HonorHealth screens for this and implements “warm hand-offs” to ensure access to services.
  • Social isolation and transportation are significant barriers; addressed by bringing programs directly to neighborhoods (e.g., mobile farm stands).

Holistic Community Health & Resource Navigation

[11:01–11:52]

• Michelle emphasizes the interconnectedness of food, housing, and transportation as symptoms of financial insecurity.
  • Philosophy: “How do we feed the line and shorten the line?”—providing immediate support and helping individuals achieve longer-term stability.
  • Through grant programs, Desert Mission offers utility/housing assistance and connects clients to additional services.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We need to look beyond the walls of our hospitals. We need to be in the community.”
  —Michelle Pabas (02:55)

• “By 2030, 1 in 5 Americans are going to be over 65… projections are up to 6.7 million Americans will have a diagnosis of dementia in 2024.”
  —Haley Micelli (04:44)

• “It brings families together... allows folks with family members that have dementia or cognitive decline to be able to relate to people in a way that they haven’t been able to in a while.”
  —Haley Micelli (06:34)

• “If you don’t have that constant stimulation both mentally and physically, we know that decline can be that much faster.”
  —Michelle Pabas (07:02)

• “Food is, you know, a gateway to other resources.”
  —Ann Costa (09:42)

• “How do we feed the line and shorten the line?”
  —Michelle Pabas (11:19)

• “It is wonderful to have the opportunity to be able to provide opportunities for folks to have purpose and joy every day through our volunteer work, through our employees and through the people that come into our programs.”
  —Haley Micelli (12:16)

Closing Reflections: What Inspires the HonorHealth Team

[12:15–13:56]

• Haley Micelli: Finds purpose in helping people find joy and meaning daily.

• Ann Costa: Derives motivation from listening to community needs, especially leveraging food as a tool for engagement and well-being.

• Michelle Pabas: Sees her role as “the best job” for its unique ability to build impactful programs through community relationships and data. She stresses HonorHealth’s role as a community anchor and collaborative partner, not just a provider of services.

  • “People are looking to us as the model… we are a resource in the bricks and mortar sense, but we’re also... that collaborator, that partner to help ease their way or show them the way to continue to build programs.” (13:18)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• HonorHealth Background & Pillars: 01:29–03:44
• Adult Day Health Care Overview: 04:42–06:59
• Caregiver & Patient Stories: 05:56–08:02
• Living Well Program & Resource Navigation: 08:25–11:01
• Holistic Service Model/Community Impact: 11:01–11:52
• Community Health Inspiration & Final Thoughts: 12:15–13:56

Summary

This episode of Advancing Health delves into HonorHealth’s century-long commitment to supporting its community—both inside and well beyond hospital walls. By interweaving legacy, data-driven strategies, and deeply human stories, HonorHealth exemplifies how health systems can anchor the well-being of entire populations—especially the most vulnerable. Programs like Adult Day Health Care and Living Well address the intertwined needs of food, social connection, mobility, and caregiving, serving as a blueprint for holistic, impactful community health improvement.