Community Health Needs Assessment
Mercy Hospital Carthage
2012
Community Health Needs Assessment Summary for Jasper County and Mercy
McCune-Brooks Hospital
#1
History and Area Demographics
Mercy McCune-Brooks Hospital, Carthage
In late 1892, a branch of the nationwide charitable organization known as Faithful Circle of King's
Daughters was organized for the purpose of raising funds for the construction of a Carthage
community hospital. The first patient was admitted to the Carthage Hospital on May 1, 1907.
Successive expansions occurred throughout the hospital’s history, bringing the bed count to 52 and in
1963 McCune-Brooks Hospital admitted the 100,000th patient.
In 1996 began plans for a replacement hospital to allow attainment of several goals including addition
of new services, improved patient comfort, physician recruitment, and better access. Construction of
the new building began on November 4, 2005.
An Open House and Dedication Ceremony for the new McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital was held
January 6, 2008. The new Hospital is a 145,000 sq. ft. facility; licensed for 49 beds and features
many new services through its out-patient clinic, private patient rooms, expanded women’s program
and ER services, an all new digital Radiology Department and a re-birth of McCune-Brooks’
obstetrics.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Immediate History: Mercy leases McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital
January 1, 2012 McCune-Brooks merged with Mercy Health Ministry based in St. Louis, Mo. which is
comprised of acute care and clinic facilities in Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas. Their
mission and ours is “to bring to life the healing ministry of Jesus” through our compassionate care and
exceptional service. Mercy McCune-Brooks serves patients primarily from Jasper County. The
medical staff includes primary care and specialists. An emergency room with 24-hour physician
coverage is available for those patients who need emergent care due to illness or injury. The hospital
converted to PPS in January 2013.
McCune-Brooks Hospital is governed by a nine member Board of Directors; composed of two Mercy
sisters, two physicians, three Legacy Board members and two hospital presidents. The membership
are voluntary positions with the exception of the two presidents. The Board meets quarterly and is the
governing body of the hospital.
November 14, 2013
Page 1
Jasper County
Jasper County is located in the US State of Missouri. Its county seat is Carthage, making it one of the
few counties whose largest city, Joplin, is not the county seat. The county was organized in 1841 and
named for Sgt. William Jasper, a hero of the American Revolutionary War.
As of the census of 2010, there were 117,404 people (75% urban, 25% rural), 45,639 households,
and 30,202 families residing in the county. There were 50,668 housing units at an average density of
71 per square mile (28/km²).
Land area: 640 sq. mi.
(
Water area: 1.6 sq. mi.
h
Population density: 164 people per square mile. i
Jan. 2011 cost of living index in Jasper County: 80.6 (low, U.S. average is 100)
Industries providing employment: Manufacturing (21.7%), Educational, health and social services
(19.7%), Retail trade (13.5%).
Type of workers:
Private wage or salary: 83%
Government: 10%
Self-employed, not incorporated: 7%
Unpaid family work: 0%
Racial Make-up of Jasper County
White Non-Hispanic (88%)
Hispanic or Latino (7%)
African American (2%)
American Indian and Alaska Native alone (2%)
Other (1%)
November 14, 2013
Page 2
Median resident age:
Missouri median age:
Males: 50,764
Females: 53,922
34.9 years
36.1 years
(48.5%)
(51.5%)
Jasper County Age Data
<19 yrs
20-24 yrs
25-44 yrs
45-64 yrs
>65 yrs
Jasper County Social & Economic Factors from Missouri Hospital Association
CHNA Report 2010
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Jasper County
National Benchmark
Missouri
November 14, 2013
Page 3
#2
Primary Partners
Secondary Data Partners
County Health Rankings for 2011
Community Health Status Report
Missouri Hospital Association; Analytic Advantage
Primary Data Partners
Jasper County Community Health Collaborative
2012 Mercy McCune-Brooks Round Table
2011-2012 Alliance of Southwest Missouri Top 20 Issues
#3 Secondary Data
Assessment Resources
 Analysis of county health ranking data from County Health Rankings, Jasper County,
MO. 2011; developed by Forum One Communications, under the direction of the University of
Wisconsin Population Health Institute in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation and Burness Communications.
* The data demonstrates that Jasper County residents compare negatively to the national
average on virtually every Health Outcome and Health Factor measure as seen
in the table below.
Jasper County, MO
County Health Rankings 2011
HEALTH OUTCOMES
Mortality
Premature death – years of potential life lost before
age 75 per
100,000 (age adjusted)
Morbidity
Poor or fair health – percentage of adults reporting
fair or poor health (age adjusted)
Poor physical health days – average number of
physically unhealthy days reported in past 30 days
(age adjusted)
Poor mental health days – average number of
mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days
(age adjusted)
Low birth weight – percent of live births with low
birth weight (<2500 grams)
Jasper
County
National
Benchmark
Missouri Rank
of 114
42
8,771
5,564
8,043
13%
10%
16%
3.8
2.6
3.7
3.8
2.3
3.6
6.7%
6.0%
8.0%
25
Health Factors
November 14, 2013
77
Page 4
County Health Ranking Data continued from page 4
Jasper
County
National
Benchmark
Missouri Rank
Health Behaviors
Adult Smoking – percent of adults that report
smoking >= 100 cigarettes and currently smoking
Adult obesity – percent of adults that report a BMI
>= 30
Excessive drinking – binge plus heavy drinking
Motor Vehicle crash death rate – Motor vehicle
crash deaths per 100,000 population
Sexually transmitted infections – Chlamydia rate per
100,000 population
Teen Birth Rate – Teen birth rate per 1,000 female
population, ages 15-19
Clinical Care
Uninsured adults – percent of population under age
65 without health insurance
Primary Care Physicians – ratio of population to
primary care physicians
Preventable hospital stays – Hospitalization rate for
ambulatory-care sensitive conditions per 1,000
Medicare enrollees
Diabetic screening – percent of diabetic Medicare
enrollees that receive HbA1c screening
Mammography screening – percent of female
Medicare enrollees that receive mammography
screening
Social & Economic Factors
Violent Crime Rate – Violent crime rate per 100,000
Physical Environment
Air pollution-particulate matter days – annual
number of unhealthy air quality days due to fine
particulate matter
Air pollution-ozone days – annual number of
unhealthy air quality days due to ozone
Access to healthy foods – health food outlets
include grocery stores and produce stands/farmers’
markets
Access to recreational facilities – rate of recreational
facilities per 100,000 population
91
25%
15%
24%
31%
25%
30%
17%
21
8%
12
17%
20
379
83
422
69
22
45
35
19%
13%
17%
1,100:1
631:1
1,015:1
83
52
79
79%
89%
83%
64%
74%
62%
72
457
100
516
0
0
0
0
0
0
40%
92%
47%
9
17
10
47
Points of Interest:
Jasper County is ranked #42 out of 114 counties for Health Outcomes , #77 in Health Factors and
#91 in Missouri for poor Health Behaviors. Included in this ranking are Tobacco use at 24%, Obesity
at 31%, Alcohol use at 17% and teen birth rate per 1000, ages 15-19 is 69. It appears that there are
a number of factors affecting these rates including but not limited to lack of exercise, education and
poverty.
November 14, 2013
Page 5
Mercy McCune-Brooks Birthing Stats
2012
25%
20%
15%
Mercy McCune-Brooks
Birthing Stats 2012
10%
5%
0%
Teen Mothers
Substance
Affected Births
Drop-ins
Late to care
 Community Health Status Indicator Project, current to 2009: US Department of Health and
Human Resources
CHSI graph Measures of Birth and Death
The data shows that Jasper County is weak in several areas including, but not limited to; Birth
Measures; no pre-natal care in the first Trimester and Hispanic Infant Mortality. Jasper County was
also noted to have high Coronary Heart Disease and Lung Cancer incidents.
County Percentage
6.9
1.0
12.2
3.8
1.0
38.9
20.9
County Percentage
6.6
6.3
No report*
7.9
4.5
2.1
Birth Measures
Low Birth Weight (<2500 g)
Very Low Birth Weight
(<1500g)
Premature births (<37
weeks)
Births to women under 18
Births to women age 40-54
Births to unmarried women
No care in first trimester
Infant Mortality
Infant Mortality
White non-Hispanic Infant
Mortality
Black non-Hispanic Infant
Mortality
Hispanic Infant Mortality
Neonatal Infant Mortality
Post-neonatal Infant
Mortality
U.S. Percent 2005
8.2
1.5
12.7
3.4
2.7
36.9
16.1
U.S. Rate 2005
6.9
5.8
13.6
5.6
4.5
2.3
CHSI Data continued on page 7
November 14, 2013
Page 6
CHSI Data continued from page 6
Points of Interest:
Poverty rates in Jasper County are 23% as compared to US stats of 15.7%. The average household
income is $37,894.00 with 17.5% making $15,000/yr or less. Poverty rates show children at 25 %27%, older adults at 10% and 47% of female headed households are under the poverty level.
75% of children in Jasper County graduate from high school.
Unemployment is 8.8%, slightly higher than the national average of 7.9%
Three percent of persons in Jasper County speak English less than “very well” compared to 8.7% in
the US.
Risk Factors for Premature Death
Risk Factor
Percentage of Adults
No exercise
29.9%
Few Fruits/Vegetables
85%
Obesity
25.2%
High Blood Pressure
24.1%
Smoker
27.1%
Diabetes
8.1%
Vulnerable Populations
Vulnerable populations may face unique health risks and barriers to care, requiring enhanced
services and targeted strategies for outreach and case management.
Community Health Status Indicators; Risk Factors for a Premature Death and Vulnerable
populations
Risk Factor
Vulnerable Populations include People Who:
Have no high school diploma (among adults age 25 and
older)
Are unemployed
Are severely work disabled
Have major depression
Are recent drug users (within past month)
Number of persons in Jasper
County
15,499
2,892
3,853
7,400
7,648
*Community Health Status Indicators Project; project was updated with funding from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
and re-launched by an expanded partnership that included the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (including NCHS
and ATSDR), the National Institutes of Health/National Library of Medicine, the Health Resources Services Administration, the
Public Health Foundation, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), National Association of County
and City Health Officials (NACCHO), National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH), and Johns Hopkins University
School of Public Health in 2008.
CHSI Data continued on page 8
November 14, 2013
Page 7
CHSI Data continued from page 7
County Rate
22.3
19.6
247.3
6.5
67.2
21.1
55.9
11.9
15.5
Death Measures
Breast Cancer (female)
Colon Cancer
Coronary Heart Disease
Homicide
Lung Cancer
Motor Vehicle Injuries
Stroke
Suicide
Unintentional Injury
U.S. Rate 2005
24.1
17.5
154.0
6.1
52.6
14.6
47.0
10.9
39.1
*No report, fewer than 500 births and 5 events (birth measures and infant mortality) or fewer than 10 events (death measures) occurred
during the specified time period
#4 Primary Data
 Jasper and Newton County Community Health Collaborative;
The Jasper and Newton Counties Community Health Collaborative (CHC) was formed in 1999
as a collaborative entity of health and human service providers with a general desire to reduce
duplication of efforts, thereby providing a more efficient use of limited resources. Additionally, it
was generally recognized that the health of the community was not the responsibility of any
one entity, but rather required the coordinated efforts of many entities – public and private – to
realize an improved health status of a community. The CHC has been working for several
years to measure and improve the health status of the area. In February of 2010 an in-depth
Community Health Status Report was produced. The report reflects the compilation and
analysis of extensive data sources to identify issues having a significant impact on the health
and general well being of area residents.
1. Healthy Behaviors
2. Child and Maternal Health
3. Smoking and Tobacco
4. Access to Health Care Services
5. Disease and Mortality
6. Unintentional Injuries
7. Environment
8. Personal and Family Safety
9. Income, Employment, and Education
10. Alcohol and Drugs
 The 2012 Mercy McCune-Brooks Community Roundtable held on January 17, 2012
involved local business persons, educators, civic leaders, health professionals and concerned
citizens in the identification of current community health needs, current health care gaps, and
hopes for the future health of our community.
Community Roundtable: Points of Health;
Greater focus on preventive care and wellness activities
Collaboration between healthcare facilities/organizations/industry/schools to improve level
of knowledge of healthcare issues, level of wellness, access to information, services
offered/available, careers/prevention of disease/diet & nutrition
November 14, 2013
Page 8
Integration of Latino population into healthcare system; include Latino population in
education on health issues, increased number of bi‐lingual employees
Geriatric programs
 Alliance of Southwest Missouri; Top twenty community issues as identified by Alliance Staff
March 2012 Alliance of Southwest Missouri is a non-profit organization that assists individuals
and families in our local communities by offering a variety of free or low cost services.
1. Child abuse
2. Housing
3. Underemployment
4. Synthetic drug abuse (this is probably the leading emerging issue); K2, Skittling, Bath Salts,
5. Underage drinking
6. Transportation
7. Food security
8. Daycare
9. Bullying
10. Cyber bullying
11. Suicide
12. Sexual Assault
13. Under education
14. Teen pregnancy
15. Domestic violence
16. Autism
17. Obesity
18. Mental health
19. Distracted driving
20. Nutrition
#5
Identifiable Health Needs
Disproportionate unmet needs brought forward in this report, as well as those issues identified by
local organizations and focus groups are summarized and prioritized in Mercy McCune-Brooks
commitment to address three community health needs – 1) Care for Women and Children,
2) Preventive Care and Wellness Activities [including the elderly population] 3) Community
Collaboration and Education –
#6
Future activities will include a review and roundtable of interested groups, further identifying
community assets and programming already in place. From this, an action plan will be developed
based on the review and the ideas generated from these sessions.
November 14, 2013
Page 9
Mercy McCune-Brooks
CHNA Implementation
Plan
The Mercy McCune-Brooks Hospital Community Benefit Implementation Plan outlines how
the hospital will address the prioritized unmet needs brought forward in the 2013-14 CHNA
Report.
1) Care for Women and Children – a disproportionate level of teenage pregnancy in our
community
2) Preventive Care and Wellness Activities [including the elderly population] –geriatric
populations usually have one or more chronic issues and/or financial constraints which
impede their ability to exercise. They may also lack an understanding of chronic
disease impact on their health.
3) Community Collaboration and Education- a growing Hispanic population in the
community/county may experience barriers to health care and prevention.
The implementation strategy was based on the recent Mercy McCune-Brooks Hospital
Community CHNA report and identified priorities, including those of the Jasper and Newton
County Health Collaborative. Collaboration with the Community Alliance, McCune-Brooks
Hospital Foundation, local YMCA, Access Family Care and a review of existing services in the
area of identified unmet needs.
November 14, 2013
Page 10
Priority #1: Teenage pregnancy
Most teenage girls don't plan to get pregnant. Teen pregnancies carry health risks to both the mother
and the baby. Often, teens don't get prenatal care soon enough, which can lead to problems later on.
Statistically they have a higher risk for pregnancy-related high blood pressure and its complications.
Risks for the baby include premature birth and a low birth weight.
Many times parenthood leads to the teen mother not graduating from high school. Many teen Moms
have a second child within 24 months of their first child. When interviewed, less than half of teen
parents never considered how a pregnancy would affect their lives.
Source: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
Data:
Mercy McCune-Brooks Birthing Stats
2012
25%
20%
15%
Mercy McCune-Brooks
Birthing Stats 2012
10%
5%
0%
Teen Mothers
Substance
Affected Births
Drop-ins
Late to care
 Analysis of county health ranking data from County Health Rankings, Jasper County,
MO. 2011; developed by Forum One Communications, under the direction of the University of
Wisconsin Population Health Institute in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation and Burness Communications.
* The data demonstrates that Jasper County residents compare negatively to the national
average on virtually every Health Outcome and Health Factor measure as seen in the table
below.
Jasper County, MO
County Health Rankings 2011
HEALTH OUTCOMES
Teen Birth Rate – Teen birth rate per 1,000
female population, ages 15-19
Jasper
County
National
Benchmark
69
22
Missouri Rank of
114
42
45
Modifiable Risk factors include:
November 14, 2013
Page 11
1) Access to resources: as discussed previously over 15% of our mothers at Mercy McCuneBrooks are considered teen mothers (less than 20 years old), 5% are drop ins and over 10%
are late to care. Mercy McCune-Brooks Birthing Stats 2012
2) Access to education: Until the 2013 school year there was no formal teen pregnancy or sexual
health program in the school system. Access to programming was limited to the Jasper
County Health Department.
Goal: Impacting the teenage pregnancy rate in the community and surrounding area and
specifically, decrease the rate of second births to teenage mothers while still in high school.
Current Initiative:
1) R-9 School District Teen Pregnancy program offers a ½ credit work study class which includes
every other week programming and 3 mandatory visits/semester with their assigned parent
educator. The 2014-15 program has 15 teen parents currently participating. There are 25
known teen parents in the high school at this time.
2) 2013-2014 Life Choices has established a Carthage Clinic and the curriculum has been
introduced to the school system; Confidential Services for Teen Women and Men including:
STD Testing and Treatment, Pregnancy Testing, Information on Pregnancy Options, Limited
OB, Ultrasounds, Community Referrals and 24-Hour Help Line & Text Line
Future Initiative:
1) Initiation of the Silver Linings program: 2013
The determination of teen pregnancy and parenting was prioritized as a disproportionately
unmet community health need based on the findings of two independent groups. In the Spring
of 2012, a group of concerned citizens began meeting to specifically look at the numbers of
teen pregnancies in Carthage. This group which formed as a Teen Pregnancy Initiative subcommittee to the Carthage Caring Communities Coalition of The Alliance of Southwest
Missouri consists of community members including Carthage R-9 Schools, Mercy McCuneBrooks Hospital, Heritage State Bank, Early Head Start, Wheel of Life Coalition, Carthage
Water and Electric, Jasper County Health Department and The Alliance of Southwest Missouri.
This group compiled data based on school census information and health department data
such as mothers under the age of 20 who were receiving Medicaid for pregnant women.
Based on this information it is estimated that approximately 19% of the Carthage female
population between the ages of 10 years and 20 years is a pregnant or parenting teen.
The research completed by Life Choices ended in the establishment of an outreach facility
located in Carthage which will provide services to the Carthage area.
Program Description
The Silver Lining Project will consist of providing parenting classes which focus on building
skills of young parents referred to the project by community agencies. Young parents will in
turn earn “Baby Bucks” for their participation which will allow them to provide for the basic
needs of their family.
Community Partners
November 14, 2013
Page 12
Mercy-McCune-Brooks will play a vital role in the development of the Silver Linings
program as a collaborating hospital, a referral source, through our OB/GYN group,
employees volunteering with family support teams as well as holding a seat on the
Advisory Committee and providing continuing educational opportunities.
The Alliance of Southwest Missouri will serve as the fiscal agent for this funding and
the employer for the Silver Linings Project staff. The Alliance of Southwest Missouri
coordinates a number of community-based initiatives that focus on the areas of health,
safety, prevention, and education. Additional services provided by The Alliance will be
available to the participants in the Silver Linings Project. Alliance programs facilitate
services collaboratively to families who are experiencing significant stressors that can
put them at risk for becoming abusive or neglectful. These services include parenting
classes, support groups, home visits, and assistance with accessing community
resources. The Silver Linings Project Director would work directly with the Alliance
team to maximize the benefits to the program participants. The Silver Linings Project
staff along with the support of The Alliance staff will administrate the Earn While You
Learn Parenting Curriculum which will allow pregnant and parenting teens the
opportunity to learn parenting skills, job skills preparation and earn “Baby Bucks” to
purchase items that they need to provide a safe and healthy home for their babies.
The Life Choices Medical Clinic and Resource Center now has a presence in
Carthage. Life Choices will provide pregnancy tests, counseling, and ultra-sound
technology to the pregnant teens served by the Silver Lining Project. Life Choices will
provide the Earn While You Learn Curriculum (English) which will be used by the project.
The Wheel of Life Coalition will assist the project with the provision of volunteers and
administration.
Carthage R-9 schools and Jasper County Health Department will assist with the
project in an advisory role, participating in the Advisory Committee.
Measurable Outcomes
A demonstrated 30% gain in knowledge will be achieved by parenting class participation per pre
and post test results as recorded by program administrator
100% of parents served will be referred to additional community services with 80% receiving
additional services as a result of these referrals as recorded by program administrator.
Documented presentations, time and attendance within the Community Benefit Inventory
for Social Accountability reporting mechanism (CBISA) yearly.
Priority #2: Geriatric Wellness Programming
America is getting older. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a substantial number of baby
boomers began reaching retirement in 2010, and the number of aging, retired boomers will continue
to climb for the next two decades. By 2030, more than 70 million Americans will be older than 65.
People born in this country between 1946 and 1964 have higher rates of obesity than previous
generations of elderly Americans. As they continue to age, this population will be increasingly at risk
for metabolic complications, such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. In addition,
they will be susceptible to typical geriatric complications, including respiratory infection and
November 14, 2013
Page 13
pneumonia, depression, Alzheimer's Disease, dementia and cognitive decline, and cancer and other
chronic diseases and disorders.
Jasper County Age Data
Data:
<19 yrs
20-24 yrs
25-44 yrs
45-64 yrs
>65 yrs
Males: 50,764
Females: 53,922
(48.5%)
(51.5%)
Modifiable Risk factors include:
1) Access to education: In the Carthage community formal health education for the geriatric
population is primarily offered through various support groups and primary care providers.
Goal: Impact knowledge level of the Carthage YMCA Silver Sneaker participants concerning
Nutrition, Diabetes, Polypharmacy and Cardiovascular Health.
Current Initiative: Silver Sneaker program offered by the YMCA in Carthage
1) Current program offered by the YMCA offers two geriatric *Silver Sneakers classes/month
and an arthritis exercise class bi-annually
a) Muscle strength/range of motion - Combine fun with fitness to increase your cardiovascular and
muscular endurance power with a standing circuit workout. Upper-body strength work with hand-held
weights, elastic tubing with handles, and a Silver Sneakers ball is alternated with low-impact aerobic
choreography. A chair is used for standing support, stretching and relaxation exercises.
b) Cardio fit - Get Up & Go with an aerobics class that’s safe, heart-healthy and gentle on the joints.
The workout includes easy-to-follow low-impact movement, and upper-body strength, abdominal
conditioning, stretching and relaxation exercises designed to energize your active lifestyle.
c) Arthritis exercise program offered bi-annually
*The Silver Sneakers program currently documents 2000 visits a month for their
M-W-F programs
November 14, 2013
Page 14
Future Initiative:
Program Description
In an effort to boost the participant’s knowledge of their health related risk factors and/or
chronic disease health issues, Mercy McCune-Brooks proposes to initiate a minimum of
quarterly education classes as an adjunct to and in collaboration with the Carthage YMCA
Silver Sneakers program
Classes might include:
Nutrition: The percentage of people age 65 and over who are obese has increased since
1988–1994. In 2009–2010, 38 percent of people age 65 and over were obese, compared with
22 percent in 1988– 1994. (CHSI 2009)
Diabetes: January 2013 through October 2013 there were 510 admits to Mercy McCuneBrooks; roughly 15% of total admits.
Polypharmacy: the use of multiple medications or the administration of more medications
than clinically indicated is common in older persons.
Cardiovascular Health: In Jasper County heart disease accounts for 35% of deaths in the
65+ population. In addition other classes will be considered such as cognitive issues including
dementia and general health issues.
Community Partners: Carthage YMCA
Measurable Outcomes: Documented presentations, evaluations, time and attendance within
the Community Benefit Inventory for Social Accountability (CBISA).TOR 20
Priority #3: Hispanic Health Education/Collaboration
Data:
Racial Make-up of Jasper County
White Non-Hispanic (88%)
Hispanic or Latino (7%)
African American (2%)
American Indian and Alaska Native alone (2%)
Other (1%)
November 14, 2013
Page 15
Modifiable Risk Factors include:
1) Language barrier
2) Access to education: Due in part to the language barrier and lack of promotion, the Hispanic
population tends to not participate in locally offered health education opportunities.
Goal: Bring increased health education to the Hispanic population, reduce barriers to both
programming and education within the hospital setting.
Current Initiative:
1) VRI (Video Remote Interpreting) is a new service Mercy McCune-Brooks has added which
provides interpretation for dozens of languages and includes American Sign Language (ASL).
Initial use is scheduled for use in registration. Video Remote Interpreting allows hospital
personnel and the patient to talk one-on-one with a live interpreter through video remote
technology. The service can significantly improve patient care by improving patient
communication, increasing patient participation in their health care and improving patient
safety. VRI is more personal than telephonic interpreting with fewer instances of
miscommunication since both hospital personnel and the patient can see as well as hear the
interpreter.
2) Hispanic CPR class offered by the hospital on an annual basis.
Future Initiative:
1) Promote expanded use of VRI for scheduled testing and consultation services within the
hospital.
 E-mail VRI availability reminders to Department Directors and Managers
quarterly.
 If registration personnel utilizes VRI, educate them to suggest continued use by
the department providing the scheduled services for that patient.
2) Offer selected educational/ screening opportunities to the local Hispanic population.
A) Diabetes education
B) Women’s Health education
C) Heart Health
D) Hispanic CPR class
Program Description
Mercy McCune-Brooks will work in partnership with other community programs/partners yet to
be identified, to provide educational Hispanic programming and/or screening opportunities.
Diabetes education and screening will be offered yearly. Women’s Health education will be
offered yearly as will the Hispanic CPR class. Heart Health and screening will be offered yearly
as well.
Measurable Outcomes
Documented presentations, time and attendance within the Community Benefit
Inventory for Social Accountability reporting mechanism (CBISA).
November 14, 2013
Page 16
Monitor VRI logs quarterly to verify use. Moine: 417-388-Carthage
November 14, 2013
Page 17
Carthage, MO
Community Needs Assessment
Prepared by Mercy Planning Research
Community Snapshot CARTHAGE
3%
2%
2%
44%
5%
3%
7%
2%
5%
3%
)
%
Mercy Hospital
Mercy Clinic
Mercy Urgent/Convenient Care Clinic
Mercy Patient Origin by Zip Code
based on inpatient volume
(volumes 1% or less not shown)
Other hospital (non-Mercy)
MO