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Stephen Njenga

Director of Quality Measurement and Population Health Improvement

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Type

Education

Topic

Health Equity
Population Health

Tags

CHNA community health education population health

Through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, nonprofit hospitals are mandated to conduct a community health needs assessment every three years and adopt an implementation strategy to meet the community health needs identified in the assessment. This process requires deliberate efforts by organizations to collaborate to improve the health and wellness of individuals, the community and the population at large. The COVID-19 pandemic brought inequity to the forefront given that it has unequally affected certain groups more than others, putting them more at risk of getting sick and dying. Using the lessons learned from the pandemic can help set the stage for action using multifaceted approaches.

This six-part series covers a variety of topics, including the 2021 CHNA and implementation strategy, community benefits requirements, health equity dashboard, social referral platforms, exploreMOhealth platform, and social determinants of health overview and screening tools. Attendees will learn about the regulatory requirements to ensure compliance, as well as new tools and resources that will help them in their CHNA process.

Sessions

Part I: CHNA and Implementation Plan Updates

This session will review the updated CHNA guidance and implementation strategy, as well as tools and resources available for hospitals to use as they work through this process within their organizations. Participants will learn about innovative strategies to promote the health of individuals, communities and the population they serve. They also will learn the steps of completing a CHNA and implementation strategy to ensure compliance with the ACA and IRS guidelines.

Speaker:

Stephen Njenga, MPH, MHA, CPHQ, CPPS, LSSYB
Director of Quality Measurement and Population Health Improvement
Missouri Hospital Association

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Part II: Community Benefit Requirements for CHNAs

The ACA renewed the conversation about the community benefits — including initiatives, activities and investments — that tax-exempt hospitals provide their communities instead of paying federal, state and local taxes. The IRS requires hospitals to use Form 990, Schedule H, Hospitals, to provide information on the activities and policies of, and community benefit provided by, its hospital facilities and other nonhospital health care facilities operated during the tax year.

Participants will learn the community benefit requirements, including examples of activities, initiatives and investments, that qualify. A resource guide, “Engaging Your Community — A Guide for Nonprofit Hospitals,” will be provided at the conclusion of the session.

Speaker:

Jane Drummond, J.D.
General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Governmental Relations
Missouri Hospital Association

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Part III: MHA Health Equity Dashboard

According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, “health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to live as healthy as possible.” Using the power of data to identify health disparities among different groups within defined geographical areas is key to helping organizations understand and use a holistic approach to health equity and quality improvement strategies.

The MHA Health Equity dashboards provide organizations with the information necessary to support health equity efforts that entail models of care and evidence-based measurement strategies — a key component to allocating resources where they are needed most. During this session, participants will receive an overview of health disparities in Missouri, as well as a demo of the dashboard, including how to interpret the data.

Speaker:

Mat Reidhead, M.A.
Vice President of Research and Analytics
Missouri Hospital Association

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Part IV: Social Referral Platforms

While gathering SDOH data at the point of care is an important step in understanding barriers to an individual’s health, ensuring the presence of infrastructure for bidirectional referrals and care coordination is essential in closing the gap between clinical and nonclinical needs. In recent years, a number of providers with solution platform offerings designed to address these business needs have emerged on the Missouri health information technology interoperability landscape.

This session will provide an overview of some of these solutions, key business needs for Missouri providers, and how MHA member hospitals have adopted and implemented HIDI solutions.

Speaker:

Brian Waterman, Ph.D.
Division Vice President of Solution Strategy and Development
Missouri Hospital Association

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Part IV: exploreMOhealth Platform Overview

Utilizing ZIP code-level data to identify gaps in health outcomes is important given that geography now is a better predictor of health than genetic markers. Using the power of precision analytics, hospitals, health systems and community organizations can better understand their community’s unique needs. This will guide their decisions when implementing programs or initiatives as opposed to using a standard blanket approach, which has proven unresourceful over time. There is overwhelming evidence that meeting individuals where they are is a proven strategy of promoting health equity.

Incorporating the data derived from the exploreMOhealth platform into the CHNA process will help organizations identify gaps in care delivery and health outcomes, thus helping them make informed decisions. Participants of this session will have an opportunity to hear the practical application of this platform from a hospital.

Speaker:

Stephen Njenga, MPH, MHA, CPHQ, CPPS, LSSYB
Director of Quality Measurement and Population Health Improvement
Missouri Hospital Association

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Part VI: Social Determinants of Health Overview and Screening Tools

Improving the health of individuals and communities at large will require hospitals and health systems to utilize standardized processes for screening, documenting and coding for SDOH. Integrating screening tools when treating patients ensures that more holistic care is provided as a first step in identifying nonmedical barriers to a patient’s health while addressing associated gaps. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from a hospital that is utilizing a screening tool to collect SDOH data. This information will provide the practical application of the available screening tools.

Speaker:

Stephen Njenga, MPH, MHA, CPHQ, CPPS, LSSYB
Director of Quality Measurement and Population Health Improvement
Missouri Hospital Association

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This education is provided complimentary to hospitals through funds from the FY 2021 Hospital Association COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Activities and CFDA 93.889, through a contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. This grant supports the urgent preparedness and response needs of hospitals, health systems, and health care workers on the front lines as they respond to and recover from COVID-19.

Community Health Needs Assessment: Six-Part Virtual Series

Stephen Njenga