SMITH CENTER, Kan. – Staff at Smith County Memorial Hospital are preparing for the 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment. This every-three-year assessment is done as a requirement for critical access hospitals across the country. The goal of the assessment is to update stakeholders from the community on the progress of previously identified needs as well as have an open discussion about current and upcoming needs.
“When we look back at previous assessments, we see a roadmap to help identify needs and plan strategically as a county to address them,” said Allen Van Driel, CEO of SCMH. “Often these needs require involvement from multiple organizations to successfully be achieved.”
Two recent examples, Van Driel notes, are the new hospital and clinic campus completed in 2018 as well as the new early childhood education center set to open later in 2021.
“These projects took input from stakeholders across the county,” Van Driel said. “In fact, it was through feedback from area stakeholders that the plan for a new hospital and clinic facility really took root.”
Because of safety precautions around COVID-19, the hospital has elected to host a virtual town hall to gather feedback for the 2021 assessment. County-wide stakeholders have been invited to save the date for Thursday, April 8 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. to participate in the meeting by Zoom.
Questions about CHNA activities can be directed to Amy Doane at 785-282-6845. Previous assessments can be found on the hospital’s website at scmhks.org/chna.