Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA)
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) through the Internal
Revenue Code, requires a hospital organization treated as tax-exempt under
501(c)(3) to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) at
least once every three years and to adopt an implementation strategy to
meet the community health needs identifi ed through the CHNA. Parkland
Health & Hospital System completed two previous CHNAs in 2013 and in
2016. Parkland’s next CHNA is to be delivered via online posting to the
residents of Dallas County on September 30, 2019.
A CHNA is also required as part of the accreditation process for public
health departments. The Dallas County 2016-2019 CHNA allowed the
Dallas County Health and Human Services Department (DCHHS) to
successfully achieve National Public Health Accreditation in November
2016. The county health department is expected to use this CHNA to
inform the development of a broader Community Health Improvement Plan
(CHIP) aimed at identifying priority issues, developing and implementing
strategies for action, and establishing measurable accountability to monitor
improvement of the health status of targeted populations.
In light of Parkland’s shared mission with DCHHS, a joint assessment of the
current state of health in Dallas County has been conducted by the two
organizations through a collaborative process that included the exchange
of data, information and insights. Beyond what is required under the ACA,
Parkland and the DCHHS will use this assessment to develop a collective
impact approach to improving the health of populations experiencing
health disparities within Dallas County over the next three years. This
approach will include strengthening partnerships with other healthcare
providers and community-based organizations who share a common
mission with Parkland and DCHHS and establishing new relationships with
organizations we have yet to engage. Parkland will also incorporate the
CHNA into the next iteration of its multi-year strategic plan that will be
developed in 2020.
Dallas County Health and Human Services Overview
Public health activities in Dallas date back to 1873 with the
appointment of the fi rst City Health Offi cer and early efforts
to control the disposal of waste, sale and serving of food
items and the processing of milk products. The work of Dallas
County Health and Human Services is wide-ranging and is
primarily focused on disease prevention. DCHHS is committed
to improve the health and quality of life for all Dallas County
residents and to address inequities and disparities in health.
DCHHS targets services to reach vulnerable populations in
areas of the community with the highest need.
DCHHS employs epidemiologists who serve as disease
detectives investigating outbreaks of clusters of illnesses and
study the trends as well as causes and effects of health and
disease conditions in the community. DCHHS has been at the
forefront of local responses to Ebola, H1N1, West Nile and
Zika viruses, as well as preparedness efforts to respond in the
event of a bioterrorism attack or other disaster. DCHHS offers
specialized Sexual Health and TB Clinics that provide services
for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention and control of the
spread of these infections. Other DCHHS activities include,
- Child and adult immunizations,
- Refugee screening clinic,
- Restaurant inspections,
- Social service programs that assist low-income residents with
housing and energy payments, weatherization services, and
repairs to home heating and cooling units, and
- Development of new programs to support chronic disease
prevention and address other non-communicable disease
issues.
Parkland Health & Hospital System Overview
Established at the corner of Oak Lawn and
Maple in 1894, Parkland has been caring for
Dallas County’s most vulnerable patients for
125 years. Today, Parkland is an integrated
health system comprised of a state-of-theart acute care hospital, 30 community-based
outpatient clinics, a Medicaid managed care
plan as well as numerous educational and
outreach programs. As one of the leading
public academic medical centers in the nation,
Parkland has developed countless innovations
that save lives, improve access to services and
reduce healthcare costs.
Parkland Memorial Hospital averages about
61,000 admissions and, through its various
clinics, the health system completes more than
1 million outpatient visits annually. Premier
services include The Rees-Jones Level I Trauma
Center, one of largest civilian burn centers in
the U.S. and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit. Parkland also carries services to Dallas
County’s homeless population through its
Homeless Outreach Medical Services (HOMES)
program and is responsible for Dallas County
correctional health. Parkland is the primary
teaching hospital for The University of Texas
Southwestern Medical Center.