California statute requires non-profit, community hospitals to conduct community needs assessments, develop community benefit plans, and submit their plans to the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD). In response, hospitals around the state have established strategic relationships with local stakeholders to conduct comprehensive needs assessments. It is through these assessments that hospitals and their partners have been able to identify health disparities and develop communitywide programs that target these disparities. Two examples of innovative programs designed to address these disparities will be presented: a diabetes management project targeting the Latino community in San Diego, and prenatal care services directed primarily to a segment of the African-American and Latino communities in Los Angeles. These examples will illustrate, within the context of a "community benefit reporting process", how hospitals have expanded their role in proactively identifying health disparities, and collaboratively addressed these disparities in partnership with other community-based providers.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, participants should be able to: (1) describe how California not-for-profit hospitals have identified disparities in health status as a priority in community benefit activities, (2) identify specific community-based hospital interventions, and (3) comment on the opportunities for communities to more actively engage their local hospitals
Keywords: Hospitals, Vulnerable Populations
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.