The community hospital as a focus for health planning

A community hospital focus for health planning has been developed by a Department of Community Medicine in a "non-teaching" voluntary hospital. Results of three years of planning experience have included: descriptions of service area populations and utilizer populations; implementation of neighborhood based health centers with transportation and outreach programs; integration of emergency services with other ambulatory care resources; and proposals for geriatric day-care, ambulatory surgery, and patient education. Working relationships have been developed between the hospital Department and local planning bodies, among them the Comprehensive Health Planning agency, the County Health Services Department, consumer groups, voluntary agencies and a University Health Services Center.