CLEVELAND, Ohio, April 20, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Center for Health Affairs hosted the first meeting of the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) Roundtable on Tuesday, March 24. Julie Trocchio, senior director of community benefit and continuing care, Catholic Health Association of the United States, was the guest speaker.
To most effectively address the health needs of the communities they serve, hospitals routinely conduct CHNAs to give them a clearer picture of the health concerns in their service areas. Though hospitals have conducted these assessments for many years, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) included provisions that mandated CHNAs and a corresponding implementation plan at least once every three years for all 501(c)(3) hospitals. Hospitals are entering the second round of CHNA reporting per ACA requirements.
The Roundtable, comprised of hospital members involved in CHNAs at their respective facilities, aims to bring individuals from the hospital community and other essential stakeholders together to share best practices, provide support to one another and discuss opportunities for collaboration.
At the first meeting of the CHNA Roundtable, Julie Trocchio provided insight into recently finalized IRS rules that will impact CHNAs and implementation plans. Hospital members shared their experiences conducting CHNAs for the first round of reporting and how they plan to complete CHNAs and corresponding implementation plans for the current second round of reporting. Public health's integral involvement in the Health Improvement Partnership of Cuyahoga County (HIP-C) was also shared.
For more information about the CHNA Roundtable with Julie Trocchio or to learn more about The Center's involvement in community health needs assessments, please contact Kirstin Craciun, MSW, MPP, director of community outreach, at 216.255.3616 or via email.
With a rich history as the Northeast Ohio hospital association, dating back to 1916, The Center for Health Affairs serves as the collective voice of hospitals and the source for Northeast Ohio hospital and healthcare information. As the leading advocate for Northeast Ohio hospitals, The Center aims to enhance the effectiveness of the healthcare community and the health of the communities it serves by providing expertise, resources and solutions to address the challenges faced by the region's healthcare providers. The Center's efforts focus on areas that benefit member hospitals from a regional approach, including healthcare workforce; emergency preparedness; public policy and advocacy; finance and reimbursement; and community initiatives. And because of its business affiliation with CHAMPS Healthcare, The Center has the resources to provide a broad level of professional services to its members. The Center, located in downtown Cleveland, is proud to advocate on behalf of 34 acute-care hospitals and two long-term acute-care hospitals in six counties. The Center for Health Affairs is honored to be named as one of The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Top Workplaces in 2014 and to ERC's Northcoast99 List in 2003, 2004, 2010, 2012 and 2014. For more, visit chanet.org.