Creating a hospital-community infrastructure: challenges and benefits

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Community Health
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Hospitals face increasing public demand for accountability and community engagement.
• St. Michael's Hospital (SMH) established the Inner City Health (ICH) Program in the 1990s to address unique community health needs.
• The ICH Research Program was founded to reduce health barriers for disadvantaged populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the evolution of the formalised hospital-community infrastructure at SMH.
• To explore SMH's community involvement and relationships with stakeholders.
• To discuss the impact of ICH research on clinical practice, education, and policy.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive analysis of the SMH-community infrastructure and its development.
• Exploration of SMH's engagement strategies with its local community.
• Examination of the role of ICH research in influencing healthcare.

Main Results:

• SMH developed a comprehensive ICH Program with inpatient, ambulatory, and outreach services.
• A unique ICH Research Program was established to support evidence-based practice and policy.
• The hospital-community infrastructure involves relationships with the Board, teaching hospital system, media, and advocacy groups.

Conclusions:

• Effective hospital-community infrastructure is crucial for addressing local health needs and public expectations.
• The ICH model at SMH demonstrates a successful approach to community participation and reducing health disparities.
• ICH research plays a vital role in advancing clinical practice, health education, and public policy.