Stephens Co. Hospital To Conduct Community Health Needs Assessment

Stephens County Hospital is getting ready for a mandatory survey coming up in the next year.

Every three years, the hospital must perform what is called a Community Health Needs Assessment.

Hospital Administrator Ed Gambrell said that the assessment is required under the Affordable Care Act and is actually looked at as an Internal Revenue Service requirement for the hospital.

Gambrell said the assessment asks the community about Stephens County Hospital.

“There will be focus groups out there inviting people to give opinions about the hospital, about services we offer and perhaps about services we should offer that we do not,” said Gambrell.

Gambrell did say that the assessment can be something very beneficial for hospitals.

“We welcome their input because we are a community hospital,” said Gambrell. “It is important to get input from the public.”

Stephens County Hospital last did this Community Health Needs Assessment in 2013.

That year, the hospital partnered with Georgia Southern University to perform the assessment as the school had a grant to do a number of them so it cost the hospital no money.

However, the hospital will have to hire someone to do the assessment and pay them this coming year.

Gambrell said they are looking at a number of firms right now.

“One proposal will expire at the end of this month, so if we are going to use that particular company, we have to decide by the end of August,” said Gambrell. “We are trying to get other proposals in so we have something to compare it to.”

On Monday, the Stephens County Hospital Authority granted staff permission to find the best proposal and move forward with setting up the assessment.

Right now, there is no word on how long the assessment will take to complete or when it will take place.