Community Health Needs Assessment
To help determine what types of services and programs would most benefit the particular communities served, hospitals are required to carry out a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and implementation strategies.
Click here to view Day Kimball Healthcare's latest Community Health Needs Assessment >
The CHNA was originally developed and funded by an eight-member consortium of Windham County healthcare providers. The consortium members were: Day Kimball Healthcare, Windham Hospital, Natchaug Hospital, Generations Family Health Center, United Services, VNA East, and Northeast District Department of Health.
The primary goals were to:
- Partner and collaborate with local healthcare providers
- Identify community health needs in Windham County
- Develop a blueprint for health and wellness programs in the community
- Assist with community benefit requirements
The Windham County Consortium engaged The Center for Research and Public Policy (CRPP), an independent research firm to conduct a comprehensive assessment. CRPP conducted qualitative and quantitative research which utilized the following to identify and prioritize healthcare needs in Windham County:
- Focus groups (qualitative) – a total of 86 participants participated in seven focus groups. The core composition of each group included: First Responders, Latinos, Community Leaders, School Based Health, Boomers, Faith Based and Youth.
- Comprehensive Telephone surveys (quantitative) – a total of 630 telephone surveys were conducted among residents of the 15 municipalities served.
- State and Federal data
The original study included research conducted in August and September of 2011 and results were made public on March 12, 2012. Day Kimball Healthcare's latest 2015 CHNA is an updated reporting of this information.
The study identified areas of strength for Windham County as well as areas for future focus by healthcare providers. Major areas of healthcare needs include chronic disease, behavioral health and preventive healthcare. Specifically, the priority areas include:
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Colorectal Disease
- Depression/Suicide
- Tobacco Cessation
- Nutrition
- Flu Shots
- Sleep Issues
The CHNA was reviewed by DKH’s Task Force and the Windham County Consortium, which includes Day Kimball leadership, public health experts and agencies representing medically underserved communities. DKH has used the complete study to develop and implement strategies to address these areas, and to continuously monitor and measure the impact of programs and services offered in its primary and secondary markets to ensure the appropriate programs, resources and services are being offered.
If you would like to review the 2011 Community Health Needs Assessment research, please click here to review the telephone survey findings or click here to review the focus group findings.
