The Progress of US Hospitals in Addressing Community Health Needs

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) 2017-02, Vol.107 (2), p.255-261
• Main Authors: Cramer, Geri Rosen, Singh, Simone R, Flaherty, Stephen, Young, Gary J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accountable care organizations; AJPH Policy; Collaboration; Community; Community Health; Community Health Planning - legislation & jurisprudence; Community Health Planning - organization & administration; Community Health Services - legislation & jurisprudence; Community Health Services - organization & administration; Community-Institutional Relations - legislation & jurisprudence; Cooperative Behavior; Donations; Health Care Facilities/Services; Health Policy; Health Priorities; Health Reform; Health Services Needs and Demand; Hospitals; Hospitals, Voluntary - legislation & jurisprudence; Hospitals, Voluntary - organization & administration; Humans; Indigent care; Medicare; Needs Assessment - legislation & jurisprudence; Needs Assessment - organization & administration; Nonprofit hospitals; Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act 2010-US; Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Population; Prevention; Profits; Public health; Studies; Tax exempt organizations; Tax exemptions; Uninsured people; United States
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303570

To identify how US tax-exempt hospitals are progressing in regard to community health needs assessment (CHNA) implementation following the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. We analyzed data on more than 1500 tax-exempt hospitals in 2013 to assess patterns in CHNA implementation and to determine whether a hospital's institutional and community characteristics are associated with greater progress. Our findings show wide variation among hospitals in CHNA implementation. Hospitals operating as part of a health system as well as hospitals participating in a Medicare accountable care organization showed greater progress in CHNA implementation whereas hospitals serving a greater proportion of uninsured showed less progress. We also found that hospitals reporting the highest level of CHNA implementation progress spent more on community health improvement. Hospitals widely embraced the regulations to perform a CHNA. Less is known about how hospitals are moving forward to improve population health through the implementation of programs to meet identified community needs.