Posted by John Martin
on Dec 07, 2015
North Ottawa Community Hospital Updates - Jen Van Skiver
Every three years the hospital is required to conduct a community health needs assessment. This is a federal mandate for all non-profit hospitals. NOCH worked with United Way of Ottawa County on the most recent county community assessment. In 2015 the Community Health Improvement Plan was completed and incorporated in the latest 3-year strategic plan.
The latest assessment tells NOCH that more people in the area are now enrolled in either a traditional health insurance plan or Medicaid. However, there are still deficiencies in providing mental health services, a county-wide service whose funding from the State has declined each year for many years.
NOCH strategic initiatives include a concentration on mental health issues along with traditional patient heath care. Through taking a long, hard look at Emergency Room procedures and patients arriving for service, a new ER room model is underway. Many of the visits to the ER could be better handled through alternate methods of treatment.
Pulse Campaign Update is a fund-raising campaign to raise $2.5 million by March 2016. A total of $2.2 million has been raised so far and a final push to reach the $2.5 million goal is underway. This project will completely rebuild and renovate the ER.
