The George Washington University Heart & Vascular Institute, headquartered on the campus of the world-renowned The George Washington University, is honored to be affiliated with the University and to reside in the U.S. capital. Community Outreach is one of three key pillars on which the Institute was founded. Being an active, involved participant in the health and well-being of the greater metropolitan Washington, DC area is central to the Institute’s mission.
Washington, DC is home to more than 500,000 people and is the seat of the nation’s government. It is a cultural hub, a thriving city for business, and one of the country’s top tourist destinations. Unfortunately, Washington, DC, also ranked third in a state-by-state comparison of deaths due to heart disease. And, while heart and vascular disease has consistently been the top killer in the United States, it is responsible for a 23 percent more deaths in the District of Columbia than it is in the nation as a whole.
Such alarming statistics are even more worrisome when they are considered in the context of poverty and insufficient access to healthcare. In the District of Columbia, 18 percent of the population lives in poverty, and those earning lower incomes are less likely to have steady health insurance or to have a regular source of health care.
With these realities as a backdrop and its mission firmly rooted in a commitment to being a good neighbor, the George Washington University Heart & Vascular Institute embarks on three unique research and outreach programs for delivering much-needed cardiovascular care to low-income residents of Washington, DC.
To inquire about the Institute’s community outreach efforts and other initiatives, contact us.