Ellinwood Hospital and Clinic requests public input

Ellinwood Hospital and Clinic, along with the Barton County Health Department, is looking for public input in a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). This assessment will aid in the development of an action plan surrounding the health needs of the hospital’s patients and residents of its service area.

“This assessment enables us to address the challenges identified by our community,” states Kile Magner, hospital CEO. “We want to hear what you need; if we know the challenges faced, we can respond and address them if they are in our scope of practice.”

The CHNA process includes collecting anonymous community health-related information through a survey, gathering community member insights during a town hall-style meeting, and compiling national, state, and county health indicators. This collaborative effort helps residents, local stakeholders, and healthcare providers learn more about the pressing health needs our community faces and where improvements are needed.

Starting on November 12th, a CHNA survey will be available for community adult (18+) members and can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EllinwoodCHNA or online at the hospital’s website at ellinwooddistricthospital.org. The survey will be available until December 10.

Community members are invited to the CHNA town hall meeting to discuss the survey results and community health priorities at one of two meetings held on December 15, 1pm and 7pm, at the Ellinwood School/Community Library. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the meeting will be socially distanced and all attendees must wear a mask. Please RSVP by December 11 to Lindsey Bogner, Foundation and Community Education Director at the hospital, at (620) 564-2548 or lbogner@gpoe.org.

For this process to be beneficial to our community, it is vital to collect anonymous data from residents of our community and the only way to do so is with your help. You don’t even need to leave the comforts of your home to complete this 15-minute survey. The results of this research and the community town hall meeting will be used to compile the official CHNA report, which will ultimately be used by the hospital in strategic planning.

“Our hope is that this research allows us to coordinate the future of our facility and programs to address the unique challenges faced by our patients and our community,” said Magner.

The CHNA process takes place every three years and was last conducted in 2018; it is an IRS requirement of all not-for-profit hospitals under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The survey is being administered by Solutions 4 Fundraising. Any technical questions or problems can be reported to Solutions at 816-566-0075 or at chna@solutions4fundraising.com.