Saint Francis Healthcare System has identified chronic disease, affordable medications, health care capacity and healthy food access as the four top priority health needs in its core patient footprint, according to its newly published Community Health Needs Assessment.
The hospital publicly announced the assessment’s release Wednesday, June 25. Under the Affordable Care Act, not-for-profit hospitals must complete an assessment every three years to keep their not-for-profit status under the IRS code. Saint Francis conducted surveys and focus groups in conjunction with Mercy Southeast in Cape Girardeau as part of the assessment.
The surveys focused research on residents in three counties — Cape Girardeau, Scott and Stoddard, which accounted for about 55% of Saint Francis’ hospital admissions in 2024.
The four top priority health needs were derived from 15 community service groups, according to Felecia Blanton, the executive director of strategic relationships at Saint Francis.
Chronic disease, particularly heart disease, is the headliner of the assessment and strategies adopted by the hospital organization.
Blanton said the hospital system plans to add 21 new physicians and 27 advanced practice providers in 2025. Many of those physicians and providers will help address the needs of patients with chronic diseases, and also help reach patients in more rural areas.
Heart disease led all three counties in cause of death from the data pulled from 2011 through 2021. All three counties had morbidity rates from heart disease higher than the Missouri average. Heart disease is among the conditions that make up chronic disease in the assessment. Cancer was the second-leading cause of death for all three counties.
Saint Francis CEO Justin Davison said the hospital is seeing “significant demands in patient needs right now” for cardiac services, “not just in the immediate community, but in the region.”
Davison said the hospital system is “actively growing and expanding” with more providers, physicians, staffing and diagnostic technology.”
Among the proposed solutions for chronic diseases is a Saint Francis Foundation capital campaign that aims to expand access to cardiac ultrasound screenings and strengthen cardiac services for patients.
In addition to the capital campaign, Saint Francis aims to implement several strategies to address chronic disease:
- Encourage physical activity;
- Offer cardiac education and public/provider training;
- Provide rural cardiac services outside the Medical Center;
- Provide cardiac rehabilitation programs, including scholarships to uninsured or under-insured patients to offset expenses;
- Provide free skin cancer, head and neck cancer screenings;
- Provide mobile mammography units;
- Provide gas cards to help with transportation costs for those who qualify;
- Offer chronic disease management through care managers.
The hospital also added a health equity and community service coordinator, who helps patients access transportation, address food insufficiency, link up with substance abuse services or get connected with other community resources if needed, Blanton said.
Access to healthy food
The community assessment report stated that the food insecurity rate in Southeast Missouri is 17.9%. According to the assessment, the hospital system will invest in feeding and distributing quality food to children and families with the Summer Tiger Bites Feeding Program, launched in 2017, which helps 40 families purchase supplemental groceries over the summer months. Saint Francis also aspires to grow its clinic-based food pantry for patients identified through screening to address immediate nutrition needs. It also wants to increase access to fresh produce through a prescription program, which includes education and supports the management of chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
link