Dosher receives results from community health survey

The hospital conducted its triennial community health needs assessment last spring as required by IRS Section 501(r), which was added to the Code by section 9007(a) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("Affordable Care Act"), Pub. L. No. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119, enacted March 23, 2010. The results are in the full report available at www.Dosher.org.

Of 843 survey participants, 47.7 percent indicated chronic disease is the "biggest" health concern for our community, down from 67.5 percent reported in 2015. An alarming increase in another major health concern is drug/alcohol abuse which was reported by 29.5 percent of participants compared to 13.1 percent in 2015. Mental health also saw a dramatic increase from 1.5 percent three years ago to 5.4 percent this year.

This analysis was presented to the hospital Board of Trustees and members of the Brunswick Wellness Coalition in September. The Coalition is scheduled to present an implementation strategy of these results to the hospital board in early 2019.