Community Engagement in Nonprofit Hospital Community Health Needs Assessments and Implementation Plans. Issue 2 (3rd March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Burns, Ashlyn; Yeager, Valerie A.; Cronin, Cory E.; Franz, Berkeley
• Is Part Of: Journal of public health management and practice. Volume 29:Issue 2(2023)
• Page Start: E50
• Page End: E57
• Publication Date: 2023-03-03
• Subjects: community benefit -- community engagement -- community health needs assessment; Public health administration -- United States -- Periodicals; 253.6
• DOI: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000001663
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1078-4659

Abstract

Abstract : Context: Nonprofit hospitals are required to provide community benefits in exchange for their tax-exempt status. This includes a community health needs assessment (CHNA) to identify community needs and an implementation plan (IP) with strategies to address top needs every 3 years. In addition, hospitals are required to engage community members in these assessments. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore community engagement and representation in CHNAs and IPs. Design: The researchers conducted a content analysis of CHNAs and IPs from a nationally representative sample of 503 nonprofit hospitals between 2018 and 2021. Main Outcome Measures: For CHNAs, a coding sheet was used to record the types of community members engaged by hospitals. For IPs, the team coded whether community engagement was reported at all and then performed an in-depth analysis to identify categories of community members, engagement methods used, and roles of community input. Finally, frequencies of categories across IPs were quantified. Results: Eighty-nine percent of hospitals (n = 449) engaged community members in their CHNA, but only 14% (n = 71) engaged community members in their IP. An in-depth look at these IPs found that hospitals engaged underserved/minority populations, low-income populations, high school students, public health experts, and stakeholder organizations. Community members were involved in multiple steps, including brainstorming ideas, narrowing down needs, developing strategies, and reacting to proposed strategies. Conclusions: Although IPs are intended to benefit the community, there is a lack of community involvement reported in IPs. Hospitals may need incentives, resources, and personnel support to ensure representation of community members throughout the entire CHNA and IP process.