Penn Medicine Lancaster
General Health
Releases Community
Health Improvement Plan
June 14, 2022, Lancaster, PA – Penn
Medicine Lancaster General Health conducts a Community
Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) every three years to identify the
health care and wellness needs of residents in Lancaster County. The CHNA
identifies opportunities to better address community needs and guides our
approach to improving health for all.
The assessment also provides a
meaningful way to engage the community in our strategic community-benefit
planning process. The goals of the assessment are to identify and prioritize
the health-related needs of our community so that LG Health can continue to
provide optimal care for our patients and community.
LG Health used the CHNA’s
findings to develop a Community
Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) to address unmet needs by
utilizing the strengths of LG Health and its community partners, while aligning
with our mission to advance the health and well-being of the communities we
serve.
Making the greatest difference
for the people at greatest risk
While access to affordable,
high-quality medical care is important to achieving and maintain good health,
staying well is about much more. LG Health recognizes that health starts in our
homes, schools, and neighborhoods. The nonmedical factors that affect health,
which range from affordable housing to accessible transportation, are known as
“social determinants of health.”
As part of our deeply rooted
commitment to our community, we have a responsibility to help establish and
maintain the basic conditions that give everyone the opportunity to achieve
their best health.
This work is not new for LG
Health.
LG Health already leads and
supports many community programs that address needs throughout the region. Our
commitment to improving community health was recognized with the Foster G. McGaw Prize for
Excellence in Community Service, as well as LG Health
recently being named a Healthy
People 2030 Champion.
Now, LG Health places an even
greater emphasis on social determinants of health. Below we have outlined the
areas the health system will focus on over the next three years to address the
root causes of health concerns and to invest our resources in areas of the
greatest potential impact.
Safe, Healthy Environment
- Improve
access to healthy food and health outcomes for individuals with food
insecurity.
- Reduce
homes with lead hazards and reduce lead poisoning among children and
pregnant people.
Healthcare Access &
Quality
- Increase
access to healthcare by assisting patients with social determinants of
health.
- Eliminate
health disparities and achieve health equity.
Mental Health
- Increase mental
health screening and awareness.
- Increase
trauma-informed policies and practices throughout the community.
- Reduce
substance use and its harmful impacts in Lancaster County.
- Increase access to
high-quality behavioral health services.
Next steps
The LG Health CHIP will be
implemented and updated regularly over the next three years, from FY2023
through the end of FY2025. LG Health team members from across the organization
will:
- Develop
strategies and timelines to meet our objectives
- Monitor and
measure outcomes
- Report on
progress and results annually to the community
