One unforgettable evening this past March, Sunny Jackson, MSN, RN, injury prevention coordinator for Penn Presbyterian Medical Center’s Level I trauma center and a devout Philly sports fan, got up close and personal with the Philadelphia76ers. Jackson watched the NBA team’s pregame warm-ups from courtside seats and stood in front of the game officials at center court when the 76ers came out.
And during a break in play, Jackson stepped onto the court to be recognized by the cheering crowds as part of the Penn Medicine Spotlight, a regular occurrence at these games since September 2022.
Jackson was honored for her injury prevention work with patients through the Penn Trauma Violence Recovery Program, as well as in the West Philadelphia community. Those efforts include coordinating Stop the Bleed training for community members and developing initiatives for safe firearms storage.
Her experience in the Penn Medicine Spotlight on the 76ers court exemplifies what the roster of key partnerships between Penn Medicine and local professional sports teams is all about: recognizing employee excellence, making an impact in local communities, and doing it all in the enthusiastic cacophony of Philadelphia’s passionate sports fans.
The connections between Penn Medicine and local sports teams
Philadelphia is undeniably, unapologetically, a sports town. And not only does Penn Medicine count tens of thousands of enthusiastic Philly sports fans among its employees, the organization is also a proud health care partner to the city’s professional basketball, hockey, and soccer teams.
Penn Medicine has been the official health care provider for the 76ers since 2022, as well as the Philadelphia Flyers since 2019, and the Philadelphia Union since earlier in 2024. These partnerships mean that when players are injured, they receive care from Penn Medicine providers.
“But even more importantly,” said Tanya Andreadis, Penn Medicine’s vice president of Patient Engagement and chief marketing officer, “we work with our partners on initiatives that enhance community health and well-being, as well as opportunities to engage and reward our employees.”
Impacting communities
Outside the arena, Penn Medicine works with each of the three sports teams on initiatives that improve the health of both individuals and entire communities, many of which include volunteer opportunities for Penn Medicine employees.
Making a positive impact on well-being outside of the hospital and improving equitable access to good health in local communities is deeply embedded in Penn Medicine’s mission. So a central part of the sports partnerships is teaming up to support community health in the Philadelphia region, noted Tricia Bell, associate vice president, Global Brand and Strategic Partnerships. “We work with each of our partner teams to identify areas of need and determine which community impact programs would be best to pursue.”
From cancer screenings to the renovation of public spaces, from gun violence prevention to food access initiatives, the sports partnerships are shaping programs that make a difference in the communities that Penn Medicine serves—among the key priorities identified in the Philadelphia Community Health Needs Assessment.
Notably, the Penn Medicine and 76ers Box Out Cancer initiative aims to increase awareness of the importance of cancer screenings and access to screening resources in the community. Penn Medicine has been making a concerted effort since early in the COVID-19 pandemic to address gaps in colon cancer screening, for example—because this cancer disproportionately impacts Black people and is more likely to be diagnosed later in that population. This year, the Population Health team reached 2,000 patients who were overdue for colon cancer screenings through Box Out Cancer and provided them with at-home screening kits by mail, with incentives to return completed tests.
Appealing, safe, and green public spaces in which to play and walk make a significant impact on health, Penn Medicine research has shown. So, this summer, the health system and the 76ers focused on renovations to public basketball courts at Roberto Clemente Park in Philadelphia. And beginning this fall, the Assists for Safe Communities program will raise awareness and funds to combat gun violence in greater Philadelphia, with each 76ers assist equaling a $76 donation to those efforts.
Reducing food insecurity in the community is a common area of focus, with about 10 percent of the Philadelphia community struggling to afford enough safe and nutritious food to support their physical and mental health. Through the Penn Medicine Assist program, Penn Medicine and the Philadelphia Flyers donated 30 pounds of food for each Flyers assist made during the 2023-24 season to the Philabundance Food Desert Program. A total of 11,070 pounds was donated. The program will continue in the 2024-2025 season.
In May 2024, Penn Medicine partnered with the Union, as well as the nonprofit Sharing Excess, to open a community refrigerator, freezer, and pantry at the Boys & Girls Club of Chester (BGCC), in the town where the soccer team plays its home games, and where the poverty rate is higher than in Philadelphia.
“Chester doesn’t have its own supermarket, so it can be especially difficult to get fresh produce and other healthy foods,” said BGCC CEO Derrick Billups Sr., noting the lack of national chain grocery stores like Giant, Acme, or ShopRite. “Any community member in need is welcome to visit the pantry and select healthy food options, including fresh or canned fruits and vegetables, pasta, and bottled water.”
Cheering for our own team members
Employee engagement is another key goal of the partnerships for Penn Medicine—so much so that it’s now the focus of a full-time position within the health system. Amy Weleski, manager of Employee Enrichment and Recognition, coordinates efforts to promote game ticket opportunities and special recognitions to engage and reward employees.
Penn Medicine employees might receive complimentary tickets or special ticket pricing in recognition of work accomplishments or through contests or giveaways. The distribution process itself can serve as a powerful engagement tool; for example, Weleski distributed 60 pairs of tickets for one Flyers game to employees nominated by a peer.
“We received a huge number of nominations,” she said. “It was so awesome to read the nice things our employees said about each other.”
In fact, sports ticket giveaways and discounts are so popular that employees can now easily find all special offers in one place, on a newly created page on the Penn Medicine intranet [employee login required].
Weleski also coordinates special recognitions for the 76ers, Flyers, and Union, all of which regularly highlight Penn Medicine employees on the court, ice, or field during games.
“When I tell an employee they are going to be on the court at a Sixers game or on the big screen at a Union game, their smiles and excitement are incredible,” Weleski said. “People really love it.”
For Sunny Jackson, her on-court recognition at the 76ers game was a once-in-a-lifetime event. “It was exciting to be there,” she said. “But what stands out most in my mind about the experience is the great time I had with my amazing co-workers, who came to the game to support me.”