Health care organizations play a key role in improving the health of communities. Through collaboration with community organizations, their health improvement efforts have increasingly focused on improving quality of life. Many health care organizations reach out to their communities to address critical issues through a collaborative rather than a single-organizational approach. During the past decade the health care field has experienced rapid change with limited managed care payments coupled with declining reimbursements, which have led to major financial losses for many organizations. This study examines whether, in this time of tumultuous change, health care organizations have sustained their commitment to community health. Sustainability is defined as the "ability of health care organizations to move successfully through organizational and business transitions while continuing to meet mission-defined needs, specifically a focus on improving the health of their communities." The study examines how and why organizations with strong commitments to improving community health sustain these efforts over time. It is descriptive in nature; data was collected through a self-assessment survey completed by an individual knowledgeable of community health efforts in the organization as well as through in-depth interviews with a trustee, chief executive officer, and community health director or vice president. This session will explore the strategies and lessons learned from the 15 organizations that participated in the study. It will focus specifically on six characteristics deemed essential to sustaining a commitment to community health improvement.
Learning Objectives: After attending this session, the participant will be able to: 1) Articulate a functional definition of "sustainability of community health programs"; 2) List and discuss 6 characteristics of programs that have proved essential to sustaining an organization's commitment to community health
Keywords: Sustainability, Community Health Programs
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None