Grapefruit Health and MVP Health Care Break New Ground in Closing Care Gaps with First-of-Its-Kind Student Workforce

Clinical students from NY and NJ schools deliver scalable outreach to 7,000 members across Westchester, Orange, Dutchess, Monroe, and beyond

CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, October 23, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Grapefruit Health, the first and only national workforce composed entirely of clinical students, today announced the success of its partnership with MVP Health Care to complete Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) surveys among Essential Plan members across New York. The initiative underscores both organizations’ shared commitment to addressing social determinants of health, closing critical care gaps, and strengthening performance on quality measures such as the SNS-E HEDIS measure.

In 2025, MVP Health Care sought a partner to reach approximately 14,000 Essential Plan members across 29 counties, with a strong focus in Westchester, Orange, Dutchess, and Monroe counties. Grapefruit Health was selected for its proven ability to reach hard to engage populations at scale, its multilingual, culturally-aligned workforce, and its unique approach of employing clinical students recruited directly from local universities in New York and New Jersey.

The initial phase of the collaboration quickly demonstrated the power of Grapefruit Health’s model, with a 31% answer rate and 32% conversion rate–more than 15 times higher than MVP’s previous campaign. These outcomes reflect Grapefruit Health’s broader track record of success, which includes a 13% average reduction in hospital readmissions and 33% lower costs compared to traditional outreach models. By delivering human-centered engagement through a rigorously trained student workforce, Grapefruit Health builds trust with members while lifting administrative burdens from health plans and providers.

“At MVP Health Care, we know that health-related social needs are just as vital as clinical care in shaping outcomes,” said Augusta Martin, Chief Market Strategy and Product Officer at MVP Health Care. “Our partnership with Grapefruit Health allows us to connect with members who have traditionally been hard to reach, identify unmet needs, and deliver meaningful support in areas that often go unaddressed. These barriers to care can lead to poorer health outcomes and increased reliance on emergency or acute care if they are left unresolved. Together, we’re advancing a more proactive, equitable model of care that meets people where they are and builds healthier communities.”

“We built Grapefruit Health to solve two crises at once: today’s workforce shortage and tomorrow’s workforce pipeline,” said Eric Alvarez, Founder & CEO of Grapefruit Health. “This collaboration with MVP shows how mobilizing clinical students not only helps close care gaps but also creates a new generation of skilled, motivated clinicians ready to enter the workforce.”

Given the success of the initial outreach, MVP expanded the partnership in June to reach additional Essential Plan members, and the campaign was officially relaunched in August. The organizations expect to continue to drive member engagement and connect individuals to resources.

The program also highlights the versatility of Grapefruit Health’s model. HRSN surveys are just one example of the care gaps the organization can close at scale - from community needs assessments to post-discharge follow-ups and preventive screenings - making Grapefruit Health a trusted partner for payers, providers, and public health organizations nationwide.

To learn more visit, https://www.grapefruit.health/.

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About Grapefruit Health

Grapefruit Health is addressing the healthcare workforce shortage in a novel way by creating the first and only national workforce composed entirely of clinical students in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, and social work. Through its technology-enabled platform, Grapefruit Health integrates these students into healthcare workflows to perform outreach, screenings, and follow-ups at scale - delivering measurable improvements in outcomes and costs while preparing the next generation of clinicians.

To learn more, visit https://www.grapefruit.health/.

About MVP Health Care

MVP Health Care is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit health insurer caring for members in New York and Vermont. Committed to the complete well-being of our members and the communities we serve, MVP makes health insurance more convenient, more supportive, and more personal. For more information visit www.mvphealthcare.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Kamila Khasanova
On Top Strategy
+1 (646) 527-1827
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