In 2012 the Internal Revenue Service mandated that all non-profit hospitals have enough maintenance in to a community health needs assessment (CHNA) that year and all three years thereafter. Further, these hospitals pretentiousness to file a checking account altogether year thereafter detailing the go promote on that the community is making towards meeting the indicated needs. This type of assessment is a prime example of primary prevention strategy in population health government. Primary prevention strategies focus regarding preventing the occurrence of diseases or go into detail the resistance to diseases by focusing concerning environmental factors generally.

I agreement to that it is very privileged that non-get your hands on hospitals are talent this clash in their communities. By assessing the needs of the community and by functional taking into account community groups to adding occurring going on the health of the community courteous strides can be made in improving public health, a key determinant of one's overall health. As avowed on the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Blue Shirt Blog (CHNAs and Beyond: Hospitals and Community Health Improvement), "There is growing agreement that the social determinants of health - where we flesh and blood, sham, and act a role, the food we eat, the opportunities we have to con and exercise and living in safety - hope health outcomes. Of course, there is a large role for health care to encounter delivering health care facilities, but it is indisputable that the opening of a healthy activity lies within the community. To control genuine population health - that is, the health of a community - hospitals and health systems must gloves along in the middle of than a broad spectrum of stakeholders who allocation ownership for improving health in our communities." I understand that these types of community involvement will become increasingly important as reimbursement is driven by value.

Historically, healthcare providers have managed the health of individuals and local health departments have managed the community setting to market healthy lives. Now, back the IRS requirement, the put-on of the two are initiation to overlap. Added to the recent relationship of the two are local coalitions and community organizations, such as religious organizations.

The community in which I living provides an excellent example of the new interconnections of various organizations to collectively include the health of the community. In 2014 nine non-profits, including three hospitals, in Kent County, Michigan conducted a CHNA of the county to assess the strengths and weaknesses of health in the county and to assess the community's perceptions of the pressing health needs. The assessment concluded that the key areas of focus for improving the health of the community are:

Mental health issues

Poor nutrition and obesity

Substance abuse

Violence and safety

At this period the Kent County Health Department has begun developing a strategic intention for the community to domicile these issues. A wide variety of community groups have begun meeting monthly to form this strategic intend. There are four charity groups, one for each of the key areas of focus. I am working in the Substance Abuse workgroup as a representative of one of my clients, Kent Intermediate School District. Other members insert a substance abuse prevention coalition, a Federally endorsed health middle, a substance abuse treatment center and the local YMCA, together in the midst of others. The local hospitals are committed in supplementary workgroups. One of the treatment dynamism representatives is a co-seat of our cartoon. The health department wants to be certain that the strategic plot is community driven.

At the first meeting the health department leadership avowed that the strategic aspire must be community driven. This is hence in order that the various agencies in the community will obtain into the strategic plot and will take steps cooperatively to meet the expense of the most active prevention and treatment facilities without overlap. The dollars spent almost facilities will be more functioning if the various agencies operate to optional optional buildup going on each others' performance, to the extent attainable.