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Jordan said this is a tool used to identify areas where improvement may be needed in the county. “Probably some of our bigger finds were access to wellness programs, as well as treatment and prevention programs for chronic disease,” said Jordan,” One of the major factors that we found was the prevalence of premature death. Going forward we will address anything that stood out as above average.”

These areas are now being addressed and will be a focus of attention in the future through the addition of or changes to various programs. “Wellness programs, including but not limited to weight loss,” said Jordan,” Unfortunately, Missouri holds one of the higher rankings for obesity in the nation. The same is true for smoking cessation. Cancer, mental health and obstetrics also came out as three recurring themes that we kind of addressed, but we have some limited resources and we need to coordinate better or look to enhance the services in those areas.”

A full list of identified objectives can by visiting http://www.carrollcountyhospital.org/about_us/our_community/community_health_needs_assesment.aspx. According to Jordan, this process is a mandate that must now be conducted once every three years.

Press Release:

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that was signed into law in March 2010 contains several new requirements to ensure that nonprofit hospitals continue to provide community benefits. Hospitals must comply with these new requirements to maintain their tax-exempt status. These new provisions require nonprofit hospitals to pay closer attention to understanding and addressing their community’s health status and implementing procedures that protect consumers with regard to financial assistance and billing and collection practices.

A community health needs assess­ment (CHNA) must be performed at least once every three years. The assessment must include input from individuals who represent the broad interests of the com­munity served by the hospital. When completing these assessments, hospital leadership should seek the assistance of individuals who have expertise or spe­cial knowledge of public health issues. The assessment may be conducted in conjunction with other organizations, and the results of the assessment are to be widely publicized. Using the Community Health Needs Assessment, an Implementation Plan Strategy must be adopted to meet the com­munity.

Carroll County Memorial Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Tindle, announced Wednesday, January 02, 2013, the release of CCMH’s Community Health Needs Assessment 2012. “This was more than a mandate for us,” says Mr. Tindle, “this has become a road map into the immediate future of not only CCMH but also the residents of Carroll County”. The CHNA clearly identified areas of improvement for the county. Mr. Tindle stated “CCMH is prepared to move forward with a priority list identified based on number/percent of individuals affected, causality, existing services and the Mission and Vision of CCMH”. Strategies were developed to address each priority and approved by the Board of Directors for CCMH.

Print copies are available upon request. Please contact Shannon Jordan, Chief Operating Officer, at 660-542-1695 to make the request.For more information about the services at Carroll County Memorial Hospital or an appointment, visit our website www.carrollcountyhospital.org or call 660-542-1695.