Communications

(Oct. 20, 2023) – Kansas hospitals are essential to vibrant communities across our state. Not only are hospitals providing care 24 hours per day, every day of the year, but they also are increasingly focused on improving the health of their communities. The Kansas Hospital Association and KHA's foundation, Healthworks, partnered this summer with the Kansas Health Institute and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to survey Kansas hospitals on population health efforts across the state.

Eighty-four of the 123 acute care community hospitals in Kansas responded to the survey, for a 68.3 percent response rate. Sixty-nine percent of the total respondents were Critical Access Hospitals. 70.7 percent (58) of the 82 CAHs in Kansas completed the survey. Hospitals from each of the six districts across the state responded. We appreciate so many KHA members taking the time to respond to this survey, which succeeds a prior population health survey conducted in 2018. This work, funded by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, will inform population health activities required through FLEX funding.

In advance of an issue brief that will be published later this fall, listed below are highlights of the findings from the latest survey.

• Nearly nine in ten (86.9 percent) of respondents agreed or strongly agreed their hospital should focus on addressing the health of their community beyond their patient population.
• More than half (58.4 percent) of respondents agreed their hospital should address health-related social needs (e.g., housing, transportation, poverty, education) within their community.
• Respondents are most aware of community needs related to access to health care (94.1 percent), transportation (94 percent), access to child care (88.1 percent) and access to physical activity (88.1 percent).
• Increasing access to health care was the main area (89.3 percent) where respondents implemented population health efforts.
• Employment opportunities (71.4 percent) and access to childcare (54.8 percent) were the second and third most selected areas where respondents had implemented population health efforts.
• The top three challenges for respondents in addressing social-related health needs are lack of available funding (78.6 percent), current reimbursement structures (71.4 percent) and limited staff expertise in working on community issues (57.1 percent).

This population health survey demonstrates increased awareness, support for and implementation of population health activities compared to the 2018 survey results. The survey results provide valuable information to KHA, Healthworks, KDHE and our members as we work toward KHA's strategic aim of improving Kansas health rankings and our vision of optimal health for Kansans.
--Chad Austin