OSF HealthCare St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group is pleased to share the results of its 2018 Community Health Needs Assessment.
Community health needs assessments are required of tax-exempt hospitals as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Conducted every three years through community surveys, the assessment evaluates the overall health of Delta County and creates an important opportunity to improve the health of the community. There were a total of 507 surveys collected in 2018, including community members most at-risk due to limited financial means.
The assessment is part of an ongoing collaborative effort by OSF St. Francis Hospital and several community partners, including the multidisciplinary collection of community organizations that make up the DSISD Mental Health Task Force.
The findings of this year’s assessment highlight the following areas of concern: healthy behaviors, defined as active and healthy lifestyles and the impact on obesity; aging issues in a population of adults over 65; and behavioral health, including mental health and substance abuse.
With this in mind, OSF St. Francis Hospital is developing a three-year implementation plan for Delta County to improve health and well-being by empowering people with information, knowledge, and accessibility.
“The community health needs assessment is a very important process OSF takes part in every three years,” said Dave Lord, President of OSF St. Francis Hospital. “We are transforming health care for our community through teamwork and collaboration. We are committed to finding innovative solutions to problems impacting our community.”
Since its last Community Health Needs Assessment in 2016, OSF HealthCare has seen system-wide improvement in three key areas: access to medical care, behavioral health and obesity. For more information on the 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment, or for an electronic copy, visit https://www.osfhealthcare.org/about/community-health/ .