Access to Primary Care, Diabetes, Physical Activity and Nutrition, Among Top Health Care Issues Locally
Heritage Valley Health System has issued the results of an updated Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) focused on the health-related needs of Beaver County and select municipalities in the western section of Allegheny County.
On June 30, 2016, the Heritage Valley Health System Board of Directors approved the CHNA along with the Heritage Valley Implementation Plans to address the top health issues identified as a result of this planning process. The CHNA Update includes feedback from an online survey of 2,907 adults about health issues and concerns, focus groups with 28 consumers regarding primary care access and personal responsibility for health, and a facilitated discussion with seventeen area health and human service provider organizations.
The top five priority areas will be continued from the 2013 CHNA with the same goals:
1. Access to Primary Care – To increase access to affordable, quality health care for area residents;
2. Diabetes – To reduce the risk factors for diabetes and pre-diabetes and improve the management of chronic disease through healthy lifestyle choices;
3. Physical Activity and Nutrition – To increase the percentage of residents that are at a healthy weight through eating a healthy diet and regular physical activity;
4. Smoking – To educate the community on health issues related to smoking to increase the percentage of residents who quit, or attempt to quit smoking; and
5. Cardiovascular and Respiratory Health – To reduce risk factors for cardiovascular and respiratory health issues through lifestyle choices.
“Updating the community health needs assessment gave Heritage Valley’s board of directors and leadership the opportunity to gain valuable insight into the health of the community from those who live and work in the areas Heritage Valley serves,” said Arlene Bell, director of community health services at Heritage Valley Health System. “We’re able to take that information and incorporate it into our planning to better meet the community’s health needs.”
“While the CHNA is a wonderful planning tool for Heritage Valley, it is available for any nonprofit organization, business, or community member that would like to learn more about the community’s health,” added Arlene Bell.
Heritage Valley contracted with Holleran Consulting, an independent research firm located in Mountville, Pennsylvania to assist in completing the assessment update. The CHNA report, as well as the Heritage Valley Implementation Plans, are available on the Heritage Valley Health System website at https://www.heritagevalley.org/pages/community-health-needs-assessment.
About Heritage Valley Health System
Heritage Valley Health System is a $480 million integrated delivery network providing comprehensive health care for residents of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties, in Pennsylvania; eastern Ohio; and the panhandle of West Virginia. In partnership with 3,500 employees and more than 480 physicians, Heritage Valley offers a broad range of medical, surgical and diagnostic services at its two hospitals, Heritage Valley Sewickley and Heritage Valley Beaver; in 60 physician offices; and 18 community satellite facilities. For more information about Heritage Valley Health System, please visit www.heritagevalley.org.