The Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, known as Health Care Reform, requires non-profit hospitals to develop and implement a Community Health Needs Assessment.  The requirements include:
  • The organization must conduct a “community health needs  assessment” not less frequently than every three years and adopt an implementation strategy to meet the community health needs identified through the assessment.
  • A “community health needs assessment” must include input from persons “representing the broad interests of the community served by the hospital facility, including those with special knowledge of, or expertise in public health.” 
  • The assessment must be made widely available to the public.

Both Public Hospital District #1 and Public Hospital District #2 are affected by this requirement.