Penn State Hershey Medical Center, along with St. Joseph Medical Center and Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, has completed the third Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). This was a system-wide assessment of five counties (Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon, Dauphin, and Cumberland) within Penn State Health’s primary service area. All non-profit hospital systems are required to perform a health needs assessment every three years. The assessment involves community data collection through secondary data analysis, surveys, focus groups, and community forums, and program implementation to address priority health concerns.
The CHNA identified three priority areas for 2018:
- Behavioral Health – focus on mental health and substance abuse
- Healthy Lifestyles – focus on obesity, oral health, and physical activity
- Disease Management – focus on cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes
The assessment encourages key stakeholders to focus on these areas over the next three years (2019-2022). Two strategies for addressing these priority areas are improving access to care and understanding the social determinants of health. Penn State Health is in the process of developing strategic initiatives to address each area, with the goal to start implementation in 2019.
Relevance to Cancer Patient Navigation
Community health needs are not static; they vary over time. Cancer patient navigators are on the front-lines of health care and are distinctively qualified in addressing barriers to care. Navigators can see how behavioral health, healthy lifestyles, and cancer are related to each other. Because of this, navigators have a unique opportunity to help their patients in each priority area.
The CHNA found that 54% of those surveyed reported having poor mental health on at least one day in the past month. Navigators who have patients that fall in this category can provide education, support for insurance, and mental health provider referrals. Additionally, the CHNA found obesity as a top health priority among community stakeholders, with fewer than 35% of survey respondents meeting federal guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity. Navigators can help their patients who struggle with weight control by providing healthy recipes, food bank referrals, and physical activity tips. Healthier minds and bodies can equip patients to better cope with cancer diagnosis and treatment.
All counties have a higher incidence of at least one cancer type when compared to the state, with 11.2% of community respondents reporting having cancer. The assessment also found that there is a subset of the older adult population who have yet to receive a mammogram or colonoscopy (10.1% and 23.4%, respectively). Navigators can continue to provide screening education to help reduce these numbers.
Since the Affordable Care Act requires all non-profit hospitals to conduct a CHNA every three years, it is possible that your hospital system also conducts their own health needs assessment. While it is likely that your patients are struggling with similar concerns found in the Penn State Health CHNA, specific cancer-related plans may have been developed based on your assessment’s unique results. Understanding your community’s health needs can help you set measurable goals and objectives to effectively navigate your patients through their cancer journey.
Note: The Penn State Health CHNA report will be available and broadly distributed to health care professionals and the public in 2019.