Community Health Needs Assessment and Community Health Implementation Plan

CHEA has and continues to collaborate with key partners and stakeholders to support efforts that invest in sustainable strategies to complete and operationalize CHNA/CHIP. Novel efforts include partnerships with local public health departments and local hospital coalitions to support collective action that enhances impact.

In FY2019, for the first time, Penn Medicine joined eighteen regional hospitals in Bucks, Chester, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, supported by the Health Care Improvement Foundation, Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations, and the Philadelphia, Chester, and Montgomery County health departments, to undertake a collaborative, regional community health needs assessment. This regional approach is the first instance where representatives from four metropolitan counties representing more than 3.5 million residents have come together to look holistically at community barriers to optimal health.

The year-long assessment process, which involved both quantitative and qualitative data collection methodologies, identified 16 priority areas, spanning from disparities in maternal morbidity and mortality to community violence. Each priority area identified key features of that problem and community-driven solutions to address the health needs. In partnership with community stakeholders, Penn Medicine developed an independent community health implementation plan for each of its hospitals that will be used guide efforts over the next three years.