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Riverside Physician Selected For The Practice Change Leaders Program

September 18, 2019

Newport News, VA – Riverside Health System is pleased to announce that Emmeline Gasink, MD, CMD, CWSP was among 10 leaders nationwide selected to participate in the fourth cohort of The Practice Change Leaders program, earning $45,000 to enhance leadership skills and implement a new aging program in the community.

Gasink serves as the Medical Director for Quality Assurance for the Lifelong Health Division of Riverside Health System and the Medical Director of Warwick Forest, one of three Riverside Health System Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC). Located in Newport News, VA. on the Yorktown border, Warwick Forest offers multiple levels of care –from independent living to skilled nursing –for residents 60 and older.

With the prestigious award, Gasink plans to integrate a coaching and assessment process, called Vitalize 360, to enhance well-being and improve the health of the older adult population at Warwick Forest, while focusing on their goals and what is most important to them.

"Working with older adults to focus on what is most important to them instead of what is wrong with them is a different way of approaching their care." Gasink said. "I am excited to bring this innovative program to Warwick Forest which will use patient specific goals to drive care delivery and bring meaningful programming to their community."

Following a nationwide call for applications and a highly competitive review process, 10 leaders were selected to participate in The Practice Change Leaders program, aimed at building leadership capacity among professionals who have a leadership role in a health care delivery organization, health-related institution or community-based organization with direct responsibility for care that impacts older adults.

Through participation in the 14 month Practice Change Leaders program, awardees receive $45,000 and the support of local and national mentors to further develop their leadership skills and to complete a project aimed at implementing a new geriatric service line or aging program. Complementing their development as individual leaders, the leaders will join a collegial network of dedicated professionals who share a commitment to improving health and health care outcomes in older adults.

The Practice Change Leaders program is made possible by the generous supported of the Atlantic Philanthropies, a limited life foundation, and the John A. Hartford Foundation. The program is under the direction of Eric A. Coleman, M.D., MPH.

To learn more about the program visit www.changeleaders.org.

ABOUT EMMELINE GASINK, M.D.:

Emmeline Gasink, M.D. received her B.S. in Biology at The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg and earned her medical degree at the Eastern Virginia Medical School. She completed her family medicine residency in 2007 with the Virginia Commonwealth University-Riverside Family Medicine program. As part of the Virginia Medical Scholarship Program, she practiced family medicine in an underserved area of Virginia prior to practicing exclusively in geriatric medicine in 2010. To learn more about Gasink visit www.riversideonline.com

ABOUT WARWICK FOREST:

Warwick Forest is one of three Riverside Health System Continuing Care Retirement Communities. Located in Newport News, Va. on the Yorktown border, Warwick Forest offers multiple levels of care –from independent living to nursing –for residents 60 and older. On average, research shows that residents living in a continuing care retirement community that offers amenities like those at Warwick Forest enjoy an average of seven healthier years. Warwick Forest's amenities include, among others, indoor saltwater pool, fitness gym, exercise classroom, tavern and bistro and a theater. Learn more about Warwick Forest at www.warwickforest.com.

ABOUT THE ATLANTIC PHILANTHROPIES:

The Atlantic Philanthropies are dedicated to bringing about lasting changes in the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people. Atlantic is a limited life foundation that makes grants through its five program areas: Ageing, Children &Youth, Population Health, Reconciliation &Human Rights, and Founding Chairman. Atlantic is active in Bermuda, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United States and Viet Nam. To learn more visit www.atlanticphilanthropies.org.

ABOUT THE JOHN A. HARTFORD FOUNDATION:

The John A. Hartford Foundation is a private philanthropy working to improve the health of older Americans. After three decades of championing research and education in geriatric medicine, nursing, and social work, today the Foundation pursues opportunities to put geriatrics expertise to work in all health care settings. This includes advancing practice change and innovation, supporting team-based care through interdisciplinary education of all health care providers, supporting policies and regulations that promote better care, and developing and disseminating new evidence-based models that deliver better, more cost-effective health care. 

The Foundation was established by John A. Hartford. Mr. Hartford and his brother, George L. Hartford, both former chief executives of the Great Atlantic &Pacific Tea Company, left the bulk of their estates to the Foundation upon their deaths in the 1950s. Additional information about the Foundation and its programs is available at www.jhartfound.org.