All not-for-profit hospitals are required to complete a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). A CHNA is designed to identify, prioritize and address health issues in a hospital’s primary service area and, according to IRS regulations, must be completed at least once every three years.
Oneida County Health Department (OCHD), Rome Memorial Hospital (RMH) and Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) collaborated with key community stakeholders throughout 2019, to assess and prioritize the healthcare needs of the community. The 2019-2021 Oneida County Community Health Assessment (CHA/Community Service Plan (CSP) and Community Health Improvement Plan summarizes the health status of the community and public health and hospital Prevention Agenda health improvement goals for the residents of the County of Oneida
The assessment process involved data analysis, data collection, and community engagement. The identification of priorities and focus areas was guided by a partnership of community agencies, organizations and groups.
Strategic community partners were solicited to participate in a community Stakeholder Conference to inform the assessment process as well as to obtain input on perceptions of health issues within the community, considering social determinants of health and providing insight on specific aspects of health priorities as it relates to the NYSDOH Prevention Agenda.
The committee also solicited input from the community through the use of an on-line survey, reaching 898 residents. This combination of research findings was used as references for the development of the 2019-2021 priorities.
The initial findings of the Community Health Assessment and priorities were distributed to the public via a press release, announcing the availability of the Draft Executive Summary Overview on health department and hospital websites. Feedback from the pubic was solicited at the time. Media interviews and print were avenues for further communicating the priority areas to the public.
The County also conducted focus groups in three different areas of the County, two urban and one rural. The focus groups validated the priority areas and provided additional depth into the challenges residents face accessing healthcare services, including primary care and mental health, which are critical to impacting the identified health priorities.
Consistent with the New York State Value Based Payment Roadmap, the hospitals and their affiliated primary care practices commit to leveraging information technology systems to identify and close care gaps to improve the overall health of the community. Specifically addressing screening rates and the opioid crisis will have a positive impact on utilization measures, including potentially preventable visits, potentially preventable admissions, and potentially preventable readmissions.
The data from the CHA guides the hospital in the development of tactics in support of its strategic plan, which is organized under the following pillars:
Quality
Deliver best practice in safety, quality and the patient experience
- Commitment to a culture of safety with high reliability.
- Achieve the 90th percentile for patient satisfaction nationally.
- Evolve and sustain a patient-centered comprehensive care transitions model for improve patient outcomes across the continuum of care.
People
Create a culture of safe, competent, compassionate connected care to support our mission through education, communication, leadership and values as we strive to be an employer of choice.
- Develop the skills of our staff throughout their career from novice to expert, from recruitment to retirement.
- Engage and encourage the growth of our staff and sustain their commitment to each other, our patients and their families through relationship based care.
- Increase communication and transparency through consistent, relevant and timely messaging.
Growth
Pursue strategic growth through the expansion and development of targeted healthcare services to meet community needs and thrive in pursuit of fulfilling our mission and vision.
- Expand Access to Primary Care
- Grow/Revitalize Existing Service Lines
- Expand into New Markets
- Invest Strategically in Stakeholder Awareness
Finance
Optimize financial viability via shared accountability among all stakeholders.
- Increase Revenue/Cash Flow
- Generate Cost Savings and Efficiencies
Comments regarding the data collected and the priorities and implementation strategies identified may be made by contacting Rome Memorial Hospital's Public Relations Department at
(315) 337-5309.
