V. Identification and prioritization of the community’s health needs A. Identifying community health needs i. Definition of “health need” For the purposes of the CHNA, Kaiser Permanente defines a “health need” as a health outcome and/or the related conditions that contribute to a defined health need. Health needs are identified by the comprehensive identification, interpretation, and analysis of a robust set of primary and secondary data. ii. Criteria and analytical methods used to identify the community health needs To identify community health needs, EVALCORP reviewed secondary data reports prepared by Kaiser Permanente Regional analysts. These reports drew from over 200 indicators and presented analyses specific to the census tracts and zip codes within the service area. These reports acted as a starting point for identification by revealing a bird’s-eye view of the many health needs in the service area. EVALCORP also undertook an extensive community engagement process (see Appendix B) which provided community stakeholders and residents the opportunity to surface additional health needs.
B. Process and criteria used for prioritization of health needs The prioritization of health needs in KFH-Anaheim and Irvine occurred through a multi-phased process that relied on several fundamental weighted criteria in addition to community input. Initially, we examined secondary data representing the social predictors of health. Those upstream factors predictive of the most health outcomes moved forward in the prioritization process. We then assessed health outcomes based on several criteria, with the severity, magnitude, and scale of the need receiving the highest weights. Clear disparities/inequities among demographic subgroups for each need were also weighted. Health outcomes that did not score highly across the severity, magnitude, scale, and impact disparity criteria were removed from consideration as a priority health need. In the next phase of prioritization, we went into the community to gather input about the identified health needs through interviews, surveys, and focus groups. The social predictors of health and health outcomes identified as high priority by community members moved into the final stage of prioritization. The final criteria applied to the list of health needs was the extent to which attention or assets were currently dedicated to the issue (both at Kaiser Permanente and among collaborative community partners).
C. Prioritized description of all the community needs identified through the CHNA Access to Health Care. Access to comprehensive quality health care is important for the achievement of health equity and for increasing the quality of life for everyone. Limited access to health care can dramatically impact people’s health outcomes. Health insurance, is one of many mechanisms that enable people to access necessary care. In Orange County, only 80%
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