JCHC OKs Action Plan for Public Health Goals

During their December meeting Wednesday night, the Board of Trustees for the Johnson County Healthcare Center voted to accept an action plan to implement three healthcare goals for the next three years, from information gathered during their recent Public Health Needs Assessment.

The assessment, as explained by JCHC CEO Sean McCallister, must be completed every three years as required by the Internal Revenue Service, but it is important to the facility to gather public input to see what they feel the community’s health needs are for them to focus on.

JCHC Marketing Director Marcy Schueler said the committee in charge of compiling the data chose three very attainable goals to concentrate on during the next three years, focusing on prevention.

The goals are to increase the number of screening mammograms for women aged 50-75; increasing the number of screening colonoscopies for all people aged 50-75; and to partner with Public Health to increase the numbers of people getting flu vaccinations each year.

Johnson County lags behind both the state and national averages for participation in all three health categories, and the committee chose to focus on those areas.

The action plan, in summary, will be to market the three goals to the key populations that need these health services to increase participation.