Community Health Needs Assessment
Demonstrating Community Health Need and Southeast Colorado Hospital District and Long Term Care Center's
"COMMITTMENT TO SERVICE and CHAMPIONING EXCELLENCE".
Community Health Needs Assessment
Demonstrating Community Need
As part of the Affordable Care Act, tax-exempt hospitals are required to complete a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) once every three years. While Southeast Colorado Hospital District (SECHD) is not a 501(c)(3) hospital, this study is designed to comply with the same standards and helps assure that SECHD identifies and responds to the primary health needs of its residents and enables SECHD to focus their efforts and resources on the most significant health needs of the community.
In 2018 and 2020, a CHNA was conducted for SECHD and identified the greatest health needs in our community. The 2020 report includes a comprehensive assessment of Baca County, Colorado.
The analysis includes a careful review of the most current health data available, demographics and input from numerous community representatives. The process culminates in the development of an Implementation Plan to address the significant needs identified through the CHNA. The CHNA and Implementation Plan report was presented to and approved by the Hospital Board on November 19, 2020. SECHD will utilize its 2020 plan as a guide over the next three years to offer programs that support the health of the community and the mission of the organization.
Click on the links listed; outside this page, below this Community Needs Health Assessment explanation to review the SECHD 2018 and 2020 CHNA and Implementation Plan reports:
The 2018 Community Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan is separate above this post.
The 2020 Community Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan is separate above this post.
Please address any written comments on the 2020 CHNA and Implementation Plan or requests for a paper copy to:
Administration - Community Health Needs Assessment
Southeast Colorado Hospital District
373 East Tenth Avenue
Springfield, CO 81073
Phone: (719) 523-4501 or (719) 523-2082
Email: ssanchez@sechosp.org
Southeast Colorado Hospital District and Long Term Care Center
373 East Tenth Ave.
Springfield, CO 81073
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT: Steve Sanchez Community Relations Manager
ssanchez@sechosp.org
Southeast Colorado Hospital District Completes Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA)
Resulting Plan Aims to Improve Area Health and Wellness
SPRINGFIELD, CO January 2021 - Southeast Colorado Hospital District (SECHD) is pleased to announce that it has issued its latest Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), a report following a comprehensive and in-depth examination of the community's healthcare use, practices and needs.
The CHNA report includes health-related information from myriad local and other sources and identifies the greatest health needs in our community.
"We studied our hospital's service area, which includes Baca County," said Dave Engel, Chief Executive Officer, SECHD, part of the hospital leadership team involved in the study along with consulting partner, Community Hospital Consulting (CHC Consulting) of Plano, Texas. "The analyses include a careful review of the most current health data available, local demographics and input from several representatives of our community. The CHNA process is very thorough, and culminates in a blueprint CHNA report and implementation plan intended to address our area's most significant needs over the next three years."
SECHD has identified the most significant areas of focus over the coming months and years:
1. Access to Dental Care Services and Providers
2. Continued Emphasis on Primary and Specialty Provider Recruitment and Retention to Increase Access to Local Care
3. Prevention, Education and Services to Address High Mortality Rates, Chronic Diseases, Preventable Conditions and Unhealthy Lifestyles
4. Access to Mental and Behavioral Health Care Services and Providers
5. Access to Affordable Care and Reducing Health Disparities Among Specific Populations
As part of the Affordable Care Act, tax-exempt hospitals are required to complete a CHNA once every three years.
"COVID-19 is something we [and other hospitals] were not familiar with prior to 2020 and therefore was not addressed in our previous CHNA. Anything unknown like this helps display areas for improvement that we only 'practice' toward. Putting an unknown into action solidifies planning and preparation, and the eventual deployment of these two elements. We learned and developed enhancements to our planning and preparation that would have remained dormant had we not faced the challenge of a pandemic. We are now better prepared for similar future challenges," added Dave Engel, Chief Executive Officer, SECHD. "CHNAs can help identify needs we can incorporate in future strategic planning initiatives. Feedback from those interviewed for the report validated many of the initiatives we have been pursuing. As we engage in our upcoming strategic planning initiatives, the information collected during this process will be valuable."
Along with SECHD leadership, CHC Consulting's experienced Planning Team led the CHNA process and produced the final report. CHC Consulting has conducted more than 100 CHNA reports for hospitals and other health care organizations using proven processes that line up with IRS regulations. CHC Consulting's knowledgeable team produces CHNA reports, facilitates certain CHNA steps (depending on the clients' needs) and/or reviews CHNA and Implementation Plans for accuracy once completed by individual hospitals. "Partnering with CHC has brought great value to SECHD. Their professional staff provided a superior review of systems and services through interviews with community members / leaders and has provided SECHD with a quality CHNA report." Dave Engel, CEO.
Benefits derived from performing a CHNA include:
