Engaging Patients And Communities In The Community

F igure 2: C ommunityPARTICIPANTSParticipants haveone-time or short-terminvolvement throughsurveys, focus groups,etc.andP atient E ngagement S pectrumADVISERSPARTNERSOngoing participants inthe process act assources of feedback orcommunity liaisons; theyare involved inprioritizing needs andplanning improvementstrategies.Community membersand patients serve asco-leaders of the CHNA;they are involved in aCHNA governing counciland in all planning anddecision making.Source: HRET, 2016.While all of these approaches will meet the requirements for the CHNA, emphasizing morerobust partnerships with ongoing community and patient engagement as a key componentcan enhance the quality of the CHNA process. Engaging communities and patients at anadvanced level requires a concerted effort to activate and sustain their engagement. Fosteringa sense of joint ownership of the assessment – thereby making the community a part of theprocess rather than the subject of it – will improve the chances that the CHNA will achieveits desired impact, which in turn paves the road toward building a healthier community.While only nonprofit hospitals are required to complete CHNAs, it is noteworthy that othertypes of hospitals (e.g., for-profit, those associated with the Department of Veterans Affairsor the Indian Health Service) recognize the strategic benefits of completing the CHNA processand choose to create CHNAs. Similarly, many nonprofit hospitals voluntarily completedCHNAs many years before the Affordable Care Act required them to do so.C ommunity H ealth A ssessmentandI mplementation P athwayThe Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) developed a pathway that supports arobust approach to engaging the community and patients throughout the CHNA process.The pathway’s steps are based on the Association for Community Health Improvement’s(ACHI) Community Health Assessment Toolkit. Though the toolkit provides a comprehensiveapproach for all steps on the pathway, this guide will focus on integrating community andpatient engagement as a key component of each step.To inform this guide, HRET conducted a series of interviews, focus groups and pilot tests withCHNA developers, hospital executives, national experts and patient advocates from acrossthe United States. Feedback and input from all of the individuals have been incorporatedinto our approach. A full description of the research methods can be found in Appendix C.The Community Health Assessment and Implementation Pathway (Figure 3) representsan eight-step approach to guide the CHNA journey. Community members and patientscan be engaged at every step along the pathway. Appendix D contains a handout that canbe shared with patients, patients’ families and community members to introduce them toCHNAs and encourage their involvement throughout the process.8Engaging Patients and Communities in the CHNA Process

Community health improvement is an ongoing process. While the formal CHNA occursat least every three years, implementing strategies around identified needs, evaluatingprogress, refining the approach and engaging the community should be continuouslysustained. Operationalizing the CHNA as an ongoing improvement process will help ingraincommunity health improvement into the operations of a hospital or health system.F igure 3: C ommunity H ealth A ssessmentandI mplementation P athwaySource: HRET, 2016.The following descriptions of each step will provideguidance and tips for integrating community andpatient engagement throughout the CHNA process.STEP 1: I dentifyand engagestakeholdersEngage with community members, patientsand stakeholder organizations early and often.Hospitals can make a stronger impact by workingtogether and coordinating their approaches tosupport a shared goal – in this case, a healthiercommunity or reduced health care disparities.Establishing these relationships early in the CHNAprocess fosters an environment that welcomesand engages community stakeholders, creating astronger sense of joint ownership of the process.“I wanted to get involved [in the CHNA]because I have an extremely large family andbecause of personal issues—health issueswithin my family that I felt the communityneeded to address—and I was on severalother committees with the hospital that Iwork with. [The hospital] asked me wouldI participate, and I jumped at the chancebecause I felt that it gave me an opportunityto express myself on certain things such asobesity, which I felt was one of the mainissues, not just within my family but withinthe community in general.”– Patient and Family Advisory Council memberEngaging Patients and Communities in the CHNA Process9

Nonprofit hospitals are not the only organizations that are required to assess the healthneeds of their communities. Other organizations required to conduct a needs assessmentinclude, but are not limited to, public health departments, social service organizations andUnited Way. Due to these complementary requirements, collaboration is mutually beneficial.Writing Collaborative CHNAs with Other Hospitals or Public Health DepartmentsHospitals can choose to partner with other hospitals, public health departments orcommunity stakeholders to conduct a joint assessment. (See Appendix A for informationregarding final regulations around joint CHNAs.) Conducting a collaborative CHNA hasmany advantages:»» Financial – Share the cost of conducting the CHNA.»» Information sharing – Leverage the expertise from individuals at each organization.»» Resource sharing – Utilize resources (monetary, in kind, staff, etc.) for assessmentand implementation.»» Data – Align data from electronic health records to provide information on healthcare usage and health status (see Appendix E). Public health department datarepositories are a useful source for population-level data.»» Relationship building – Strengthen relationships between participatingorganizations.»» Aligned implementation strategies – Coordinate implementation strategies toachieve maximum impact on overall population health.The health of the community is of great interest to many sectors in a society. Individualsfrom nonhealth sectors also may have insights into the needs and behaviors of certainpopulations or want to participate in improvement strategies or both. Table 1 suggestspotential stakeholders from a variety of sectors. While all of these examples may not berelevant to all communities, it is worth considering how each constituency is tied to healthand if they could play a role in the CHNA process. These individuals and organizations canbecome involved at any point along the CHNA pathway – as collaborators, key informantsfor interviews or partners in implementing strategies.Community stakeholders vary widely by community, and this is not an exhaustive listof potential partners. Mapping out community assets early in the process can illuminateunexpected stakeholders or partners to engage in the CHNA process. Appendix F features anasset-mapping template to guide how a hospital could think through the resources availablein the community and within the hospital at the individual, group and organizational levels.10Engaging Patients and Communities in the CHNA Process

T able 1. C ommunity S ectorstoC onsiderforP artnershipin theCHNA P rocessSectorExamples of individuals and organizationsAgriculture/Food SuppliersFarmers (small farms and industrial), food service providersSelf-employed individuals, small businesses, corporations,unionsTheaters, orchestras, museums, galleries, consumers andsupporters of the artsPublic and private K-12 schools, preschools/early childhoodeducation, colleges and universities, boards of education,English as a second language programs, teachers, schooladministrators, parent/teacher associations, home schoolorganizations, charter schoolsEnvironmental advocacy organizations, conservation landtrusts, environmentalists, hunters/fishers, biologistsRegional, provincial, state and local governments; tribalgoverning bodies; governmental agencies; elected officials;public health agencies; fire departmentsPatients, medical and mental health professionals,hospitals and health systems, community clinics/FQHCs,nontraditional health practitioners, health insurancecompanies, patient and family advisory councils, retailclinics, ambulance/paramedicsPublic and private nonprofit housing agencies, publichousing, organizations that provide rent subsidies oraffordable housing, developers, fair-housing advocates,transportation companiesNonprofit organizations that provide services such as jobtraining, food, shelter, elder services, services for individualswith disabilities, advocacy for immigrants, etc.Local and state police, court system (judges, probationofficers, prosecutors, defense lawyers, etc.), prisons and jailsNewspapers, magazines, radio, TV, social media, blogs,online news magazines, non-English media nmentGovernmentHealth CareHousing and DevelopmentHuman ServicesLaw ionsSports and RecreationVolunteers and ActivistsVulnerable PopulationsYouthPlaces of worship or spiritual communities and theirmembersLions, Masons, Rotary, Kiwanis, United Way, fraternities andsororitiesSports clubs, park and recreation departments, athleticassociations, YMCAs, gyms, spectators and supportersPolitical activists, neighborhood associations, coalitionsEconomically disadvantaged individuals, homeless persons,veterans, immigrants, refugees, prisoners, elderly, physicallyand developmentally challenged individuals, pregnantwomen and children living in povertyIndividuals under 18 and the organizations that work withthem (e.g., Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Clubs)Source: HRET, 2016.Engaging Patients and Communities in the CHNA Process11

Engaging Stakeholders Inside Hospital WallsIncreasing engagement in the CHNA process within the hospital can encourage theintegration of prioritized community health needs into operations. Staff involvement fromoutside the CHNA team could improve coordination of consistent messaging in healtheducation materials from clinicians and from a community health program implementedby the CHNA process. Consider engaging clinicians, particularly from the primary caresetting, or specialty clinicians whose focus aligns with community health needs (e.g.,behavioral health professionals, nutritionists). Hospital administrators, C-suite executivesand governing boards are essential partners in the CHNA process and outcomes to ensurethat the needs identified in the CHNA become an organizational priority.Patients and their family members also are key stakeholders in the CHNA process. Thoughthey may be considered community members, their experiences in the health care systemgive them a different perspective on the community’s health needs. Individuals involvedin patient and family advisory councils (PFACs) are already engaged with the hospital andmay be enthusiastic about contributing to the CHNA process. A handout with informationon how to involve patients, families and community members in the CHNA process canbe found in Appendix D.Engaging stakeholders should be a deliberate process. Participants should define theirroles and responsibilities and agree upon expectations for involvement. As hospitals begindeveloping relationships for the CHNA process, they should consider:»» What role might various stakeholders want to play?»» Do the stakeholders identified reflect the diversity of the population served?»» Is this a new or existing partner? How will the hospital’s approach differ for new andexisting partners?»» Are there any prior interactions with that stakeholder? What was the nature of therelationship?»» What do the identified stakeholders know about the CHNA, and why would the CHNAbe valuable for them?»» How can the hospital and other stakeholders build trust between them? Among thestakeholders? How does the hospital foster unity to create a cohesive team?»» What power imbalances might affect how the stakeholder relates to the hospital?What can be done to alleviate those issues?»» What stakeholders can be involved in the next CHNA that were not engaged in thepast?»» Is there a shared understanding of vocabulary among the stakeholders? How can allstakeholders foster a shared lexicon?Community and patient stakeholders interested in getting involved in a CHNA should beencouraged to go through a similar thought process to clarify their preferred role in theCHNA process. Questions for stakeholders to consider include:»» What role do we want to play? Participant in a focus group or interview? Adviserthroughout the process? Leadership role?»» What is our interest in health? What are our motives for getting involved? What dowe want to get out of an assessment?12Engaging Patients and Communities in the CHNA Process

»» What makes our perspective unique? Are there particular populations that we haveadvanced insight into? What makes our perspective representative of the community?What are our areas of expertise? What skills and expertise complement those of theother participants?»» What are challenges to full engagement? Personal? Political? Monetary? Time? Whatsteps can the hospital take to alleviate those barriers?Ensuring shared understanding of CHNA goals and expectations will facilitate the collaborations.STEP 2: D efinethe communityDefining the community is a key component of the CHNA process as it determines thescope of the assessment and intervention. While most hospitals have a predefined servicearea, including community members and patients in the conversation will help ensure aninclusive definition of the community.As part of defining the community, potential questions to discuss with community membersand patients include:»» Describe the community. What population does the hospital serve?»» Who are the most vulnerable members of the community? Are there communitymembers who are being overlooked?»» Who would be most affected by community health improvement plans? Are thesepeople the ones who are most in need?»» Are there any geographic areas in the region that are not covered by a hospital’sdefined community? How are the health needs of those geographic areas beingaccounted for and who is doing it?Collecting and analyzing data on race, ethnicity, language preference, income, disability status,veteran status, sexual orientation, gender or gender identification, etc. will help hospitalsbetter understand their population. It also may be helpful to see how other organizations,such as the local public health department, define the community.STEP 3: C ollectand analyze dataThe CHNA process involves aggregating primary and secondary qualitative and quantitativedata to guide the selection of priority community health needs. While easily accessiblequantitative data on community health status can be gleaned from existing population-levelreports, this information may elicit follow-up questions and require a deeper dive into thedata. This is an opportune time to engage patients and community stakeholders to offertheir perspectives to the quantitative findings.Community- and patient-focused data collection is not merely doing research on peoplebut doing research with them. This approach is known as community-based participatoryresearch (CBPR). The University of Wisconsin defines CBPR as a “collaborative approachto research that equitably involves all partners in the research process and recognizes theunique strengths that each brings.” The data collection approach should strive to engageand give voice to community members and patients, with a particular focus on vulnerablepopulations. Community involvement in data collection and interpretation is also an excellentplatform to engage community members and patients in an adviser capacity.Engaging Patients and Communities in the CHNA Process13

Hospitals can gather insights from patients andcommunity members through multiple methods, includingsurveys, interviews, focus groups and community ortown meetings. Suggestions for encouraging communityand patient engagement in the CHNA process can befound in Appendix G.“I felt like we got as involved aspossible.We met all the time. [Thehospital] really liked our input. Theyincluded us in the write-up with ourexamples. We were part of the focusgroups or the town hall meetings,whatever you want to call them. Theywanted us to be as involved as wewanted be.”- Community-based CHNA participantAsking community stakeholders to share the informationthat they have access to – and care about – is animportant part of data collection. In many cases,hospitals and health care systems may not otherwisehave access to or knowledge of these data. For example,advocates for the homeless may know the numbers ofhomeless individuals in their communities and the availability at shelters, or schools mayhave data on enrollment trends and truancy.As hospitals and health systems embark on data collection, there are some potential issuesto consider:Measu

Community health needs assessment (CHNA): A systematic process involving the community to identify and analyze community health needs and assets, prioritize the needs, and implement a plan to address significant unmet community health needs.1 Implementation strategy: The hospital