Duke Endowment backs $9.8M initiative to address high-risk patient needs across North Carolina

The Duke Endowment is investing $9.8M in the new Bridge to Health program, a four-year pilot aimed at high-risk patients with complex medical, mental health, and social needs. Partnering with the North Carolina Healthcare Foundation and six health systems—including WakeMed, Novant Health Forsyth, and UNC Health—the initiative builds hospital-based transitional clinics to stabilize patients and coordinate care with community providers. WakeMed serves as cohort leader with $1.4M of the funding. An additional $1.9M supports technical assistance and evaluation by NCHF and Duke-Margolis Institute. The program seeks improved health outcomes, reduced hospital utilization, and evidence for sustainable care models.