The Oklahoma Office of Rural Health (OORH) facilitated the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) process for sixteen rural hospitals in Oklahoma (eleven of which were critical access hospitals) during 2015. The CHNA is a requirement for 501(c)(3) hospitals that submit an IRS Schedule H, Form 990. Each hospital must complete the CHNA process every three years. However, many rural hospitals not subject to the IRS regulation opt to complete the CHNA process for the valuable information it provides.

The Process

The CHNA process includes four public community meetings. At these meetings, OORH staff presents economic and demographic data, an economic impact of the local health survey, county-specific health indicators and outcomes, community survey results and a primary care physician demand analysis. Community members have the opportunity to identify prevalent health concerns at the first three meetings, and the final meeting is reserved to prioritize health concerns and discuss implementation steps.

Common Themes

Access to care, particularly primary care services, access to specialists, and fear of losing local hospital and/or services are top concerns voiced in many communities. Obesity, diabetes, the need for mental health providers, and the lack of health education were also identified in several communities. Further, many communities acknowledged their aging population and sought various avenues to assist their elderly residents.

Communities Working Together to Address Priorities

Several hospitals took insights gleaned from the CHNA process and developed new partnerships within their communities to address health concerns. For example, in Fairview the community developed a working group devoted to gauging the public's interest in a walking trail. This group then applied for and received a grant to install the walking trail. In Watonga, the community hosted two block parties to distribute sports equipment to approximately 200 low-income youth. Healdton had success with their diabetes education program, and El Reno provided a tutoring program with the local school. Tishomingo partnered with their local school to distribute backpacks of food for needy students. Marietta has developed a health campus surrounding the hospital which includes a farmers market and several health service providers.

Additional Information

All of the CHNAs completed by the OORH in 2015 and in previous years are archived online. Visit our Community Health Needs Assessment Page to access the reports for each community and to learn more about the process.

Earlier this year, the OSU Center for Rural Health distributed $517,779 in federal grants to 57 rural hospitals across the state. The Small Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) grants are funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The grants help small hospitals implement reforms outlined in the Affordable Care Act. To qualify for the program, hospitals must have 49 or fewer staffed beds and be located outside of a metropolitan statistical area or within a rural census tract. Learn more about the grant program and view a complete list of hospitals receiving SHIP grant funding.