TOVA started the adult Comprehensive Specialty Center for people living with Sickle Cell Anemia because there was no center or a Hematologist in the state that sub-specializes in treating adults. The partnership with John Hopkins Sickle Cell Center and project ECHO has been a valuable resource to obtain expertise and recommendations from a team of knowledgeable Sickle Cell experts across the region and globally. Dr. Nina is an entrepreneur who helped create a Telehealth model in partnership with John Hopkins allowing her clients access to specialty care. TOVA’s model early on leveraged Telehealth resources through project ECHO to collaborate and manage clients here in Delaware. Working side-by-side with renown Sickle Cell expert providers, Dr. Nina, as the state lead, aimed to improve sickle cell care in a collective state-wide effort. According to the ISLR Institute, there has been a steep decline of small businesses at least part of big companies/institutions use their resources to undermine their smaller counterparts and exclude them from the markets. Transitions of care from pediatric to adult care providers and access to care throughout the lifespan still pose a dire unmet need.
Unfortunately, local relationships and partnerships have been halted. Though, TOVA has made lots of strides and is anxiously waiting for the seeds to blossom. For these reasons, Dr. Nina still believes that meaningful collaborations and partnerships can provide a valuable collective impact! TOVA at Family Medicine at Greenhill is one example of a collaborative partnership that provides access to personalized care for the entire family including individuals living with complex chronic conditions like Sickle Cell Anemia/Trait.
Dr. Anderson was named Delaware Woman-Owned Business of the Year, NAACP Health Advocate and Wilmington Holistic Medicine Practitioner of the Year.
TOVA Community Health
Primary Specialty Care
www.tovacommunityhealth.org
302-429-5870 ext. 120
Reckoning with COVID-19 and ensuring access to care at the right place and right time is evermore pressing! Did you Know, African-Americans are more likely to have underlying medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity and are less likely to have a primary care provider. Another element of concern is that African-Americans and Hispanics are more likely to suffer poor outcomes from the coronavirus and are less likely to be insured. Having a relationship with a primary care provider is important for access to preventative health care which can help manage medical conditions in order to help individuals live a healthy life. During the pandemic, our practice quickly mobilized and switched to telemedicine visits (virtually) with the aim to flatten the COVID-19 curve, use protective equipment judiciously, offer flu and coronavirus screenings and all the while continuing to keep office hours available. As we reckon with this historic pandemic, access to preventative health visits for blood pressure & weight (BMI) checks, diabetes and cholesterol screenings are ever more important. At the very least, Know your Numbers! 
