Freestone Medical Center is pleased to announce that it has issued its latest Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), a report following a comprehensive and in-depth examination of the community’s healthcare use, practices and needs.
The CHNA report includes health-related information from myriad local and other sources and identifies the greatest health needs in our community.
“We studied our hospital’s service area, which includes Freestone County,” said John Yeary, Chief Executive Officer, Freestone Medical Center, part of the hospital leadership team involved in the study along with consulting partner, Community Hospital Consulting (CHC Consulting) of Plano, Texas. “The analyses include a careful review of the most current health data available, local demographics and input from numerous representatives of our community. The CHNA process is very thorough, and culminates in a blueprint CHNA report and implementation plan intended to address our area’s most significant health needs over the next three years.”
Freestone Medical Center has identified the most significant areas of focus over the coming months and years:
- Impact of COVID‐19 Pandemic
- Continued Emphasis on Physician Recruitment and Retention
- Access to Affordable Care and Reducing Health Disparities Among Specific Populations
- Prevention, Education and Services to Address High Mortality Rates, Chronic Diseases, Preventable Conditions and Unhealthy Lifestyles
- Access to Mental and Behavioral Health Care Services and Providers
As part of the Affordable Care Act, tax-exempt hospitals are required to complete a CHNA once every three years.While Freestone Medical Center (FMC) is not a 501(c)(3) hospital, this study is designed to comply with the same standards and helps assure that FMC identifies and responds to the primary health needs of its residents and enables FMC to focus their efforts and resources on the most significant health needs of the community.
“COVID has been one of those unique ‘levelers’ in our society – we either have had it or know someone close to us who had it. I believe the current pandemic has allowed us the opportunity to get closer to our patients, meeting a direct, one-on-one set of needs in our community – the need for information, testing, vaccinations and then treatment – right here at home,” added John Yeary, Chief Executive Officer, Freestone Medical Center. “The CHNA process identifies areas of need that are vital to our community’s health or more importantly, are of primary interest to our community. The CHNA interview process is a direct link to the heartbeat of our community and helps us craft solutions to meet health needs that otherwise may go unidentified or unreported.”
Along with Freestone Medical Center leadership, CHC Consulting’s experienced Planning Team led the CHNA process and produced the final report. CHC Consulting has conducted more than 100 CHNA reports for hospitals and other health care organizations using proven processes that line up with IRS regulations. CHC Consulting’s knowledgeable team produces CHNA reports, facilitates certain CHNA step(s) (depending on the clients needs) and/or reviews CHNA and Implementation Plans for accuracy once completed by individual hospitals.
Benefits derived from performing a CHNA include:
–Improved relationships and communications with local civic organizations and state and local public health organizations
–Accurate performance metrics and benchmarks for quantifying future progress
–Increased understanding of local health and wellness needs
CHNAs typically identify top health and social concerns, including:
–Chronic health issues like diabetes, obesity and heart problems
–Mental health issues
–Substance abuse with opioids, alcohol and illicit drugs
–Attracting and retaining high-quality medical professionals
–Attracting younger families to rural communities
–Achieving access to healthcare
–Providing sufficient access to primary care and elder care
Freestone Medical Center invites all community members to provide feedback on its CHNA and Implementation Plan report. To view or download the full CHNA report, please visit our website at https://freestonemc.com/chna/. Information on how to provide feedback is included at the end of the report, as well as at the site of the report download.
About Freestone Medical Center
Freestone Medical Center is a 37-bed community hospital serving residents of Freestone County and surrounding communities. At Freestone Medical Center, patients benefit from the latest medical technology along with comprehensive healthcare from highly skilled physicians, nurses and professional staff. Our services include inpatient and outpatient care, a 24-hour emergency department, outpatient elective surgeries and procedures, as well as a full spectrum of laboratory and imaging services. The hospital also provides skilled nursing through its swing bed program, nutritional counseling, infusion therapy, cardiac rehab respiratory therapy and inpatient pharmacy services in addition to our rural health clinics in Fairfield, Teague and Buffalo.
About Community Hospital Corporation – HELP WHERE HOSPITALS NEED IT®
Community Hospital Corporation owns, manages and consults with hospitals through three distinct organizations – CHC Hospitals, CHC Consulting and CHC ContinueCARE, which share a common purpose to guide, support and enhance the mission of community hospitals and healthcare providers. Based in Plano, Texas, CHC provides the resources and experience community hospitals need to improve quality outcomes, patient satisfaction and financial performance. For more information about CHC, please visit www.communityhospitalcorp.com.
