Putting the poor first. A system's assessment project identifies community needs

To enhance its mission of promoting compassionate and high-quality holistic healthcare to all people, especially the poor and underserved, Franciscan Health System (FHS), Aston, PA, launched the Service Area Needs Assessment (SANA) project in 1990. The project focused on population segments who live in the most economically deprived ZIP codes within member hospitals' service areas. SANA coordinators surveyed FHS hospitals about their programs and services for the poor and underserved and documented the programs' scope, value, and benefit to the community. When hospital personnel learned the results of the survey, they felt encouraged to interact with one another and learn more about their facilities' contributions to care for the poor and underserved in their communities. SANA coordinators and team members then interviewed community agency representatives, physicians, other service providers, and community residents. The agencies and healthcare providers identified several unmet needs that residents verified. However, the interviews revealed a gap between what providers think the problems of the poor are and what these individuals themselves believe their problems to be. As a result of these interviews, several hospitals have established programs to meet the identified needs. Of the 33 initiatives proposed, 16 represent new activities, 10 represent expansion of existing activities, and 7 represent collaboration with other organizations on new and existing programs. FHS believes the SANA project is just the beginning of a renewed commitment to caring for the poor and underserved.