CHNA 2016

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA), requires all not-for-profit hospitals to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) to fully assess the current health needs of their community. A CHNA is the starting point of an ongoing process designed to improve community health through a more tailored mechanism of community benefit planning. Although the process of conducting a CHNA is flexible, there are some requirements. According to the IRS, the CHNA must include input from citizens representing the broad interests of the community served by the hospital, including, for example, community leaders, representatives, or members of medically underserved populations—including low-income and minority populations, as well as populations with chronic disease needs. The CHNA must also include information from experts in public health, such as state health department officials. The results of a CHNA are to be used to develop an “Implementation Strategy” in which the hospital plans programs to target identified health needs. The resulting community programs are then to be carried out during the program implementation period, outcomes evaluated, and programs adjusted yearly, with repeated needs assessments, every third year.

The links below include the results of CHNA as well as information regarding financial assistance at South Sunflower County Hospital.