L A N CA S TERMED I CALSO C IET Y. O R G Perspectives Community Health Needs Assessments AN ONGOING TASK FOR AREA HEALTH SYSTEMS BY SUSAN SHELLY Writer W hile the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 requires a tax-exempt hospital to create a community health needs assessment (CHNA) every three years, health care organizations serving Lancaster County report that their assessments are ongoing as they work to best serve their communities. With about 12 percent of the general population of Pennsylvania - and about 16 percent of children1 - living in poverty, the need for health care systems to partner with community organizations and the leaders of those organizations has become increasingly clear. The next required CHNA is due in 2022, and all area health care systems are working to meet that goal. But constant watchfulness over the communities they serve is routine and has only increased during the ongoing pandemic as concerns about mental health and other issues have amplified. Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, UPMC in central Pa., and WellSpan Health collaborate in their assessment efforts, while Penn State Health works with the Penn State College of Medicine to complete its work. Each system uses its findings to set policy and implement programs within its facilities. LANCASTER 28 PHYSICIAN