WILSON, Pa. — Access to health care, chronic disease prevention and mental health care are the key priorities for people serviced by Luke’s University Health Network, its most recent study has found.
Physicians and community partners came together Monday at St. Luke’s Easton Campus to analyze the network's latest Community Health Needs Assessment.
St. Lukes Health Network is “here to serve a community, and our community staff has just been wonderful again, keeping us in touch with all of our community partners.”St. Luke’s Easton Campus President Linda J. Grass
St. Luke’s Easton Campus President Linda J. Grass said the network is “here to serve a community, and our community staff has just been wonderful again, keeping us in touch with all of our community partners.”
Access to care and access to mental health services for youth were some of the most significant concerns for the survey, which is conducted over 18 months every three years, Grass said.
“So over those five years of rebuilding this campus, we rebuilt the facility," Grass said.
"The emergency department was totally rebuilt, and we renovated and modernized all of that. That's the front door to this hospital.
“The second was building the adolescent behavioral health unit, which is a 16-bed inpatient unit, and from very early on, it was filled with kids in crisis.
"It was amazing — the number from Northampton and Lehigh took the highest majority from those two counties. But it was filled very early on, and it stays pretty much at the 16-bed capacity.”
“The third was women's imaging and offering women's services, mammo[grams] and screening mammo[grams] and DEXA for the women in this community.
"And that, too, is filled. Most of the schedule is filled, and we continue to expand the schedule technology.”
Grass said St. Luke’s has been very helpful with replacing existing technology — including MRI and CAT scan machines — with “top of the line” equipment, and expanding practices throughout the community to improve access to care.
The big picture
Department of Community Health Vice President Dr. Rajika Reed discussed the process for the assessment, detailing key informant interviews, community forums and a survey of 3,926 individuals from the area.
Access to care concerns included the ability of patients to get to primary care physicians, and workforce development to get more people insured and able to attain healthcare.
A key element of chronic disease prevention touched upon access to food security, with Reed pointing out that St. Luke’s Anderson Campus features a 14-acre organic farm that provides fresh produce across the community.
Another acknowledged the rates of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension in the population.
For mental health issues, Reed said St. Luke’s has made it a priority to help patients navigate resources, and to assist with substance abuse cases.
Access to care
Taking a look at the local population, Community Health Epidemiologist Dr. Whitney Szmodis showed the majority fall in the 18-to-64-year range.
The majority, 73.2%, identify as white, followed by 18.4% Hispanic, “other race” at 15.6% and Black at 8.3%.
In terms of healthcare access and quality, 6% of Northampton County residents are uninsured — below the state’s 7% and the nation’s 10% rates — with an average out-of-pocket spending of $4,871, the study found.
Throughout the St. Luke's service area, 48.2% of renters are “cost-burdened,” slightly above the state rate of 48% and well above the national rate of 35%.
In the 18015 ZIP code, 20.1% of residents speak Spanish.
Northampton County showed a social vulnerability index rate — which helps identify and quantify communities with higher susceptibilities to adverse impacts from stressors such as disasters to help public health officials direct resources effectively — measures of 0.29, a low-medium score.
Median income in the area was $79,458, higher than the state rate but just under the national rate.
Of those, 36% meet standards for ALICE — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — meaning they make too much to qualify for public assistance but still live paycheck-to-paycheck.
Lastly, 26.5% of students reported being bullied, while 47% did not feel as if they were part of their community.
More trends
Further data from surveys revealed more trends among insured and uninsured individuals.
“When we look at insured and uninsured respondents, we see that 92.7 percent [of insured patients] saw their PCP, their primary care physician, in the last year, compared to almost 61 percent of uninsured respondents," Szmodis said.
"We also asked if people had a PCP, and only about 2 percent of insured folks said they did not have a PCP, compared to almost 17 percent of uninsured individuals.
“We also asked people why they missed a health care appointment. Almost 14 percent said because their share of cost was too high, so their copay or their deductible.
"Fourteen percent could not get an appointment, and 11.5 percent said that insurance didn't cover what they needed.”
Furthermore, emergency departments often are overused by uninsured or low-income individuals.
Those who made less than $15,000 per year were more like to visit the emergency room five or more times per year, the survey found.
But there are initiatives to help combat those issues, officials said.
St. Luke’s Community Health Department aims to work alongside community partners to ensure patients and community members have access to and the ability to navigate particular resources, officials said.
They also work with local schools, with initiatives such as a dental van that can travel from district to district.
The program also brings students to hospital campuses to encourage an interest in healthcare, and direct connections including doctors reading to students as part of Read Across America.
All of those help to familiarize the community with the world of healthcare, officials said.
Chronic health issues
In the realm of chronic disease prevention, Szmodis said throughout the Anderson and Easton campuses, 41% of respondents reported having high blood pressure.
He said 32% reported high cholesterol, and almost 78% of respondents age 45 and older reported one of more chronic illnesses.
Only 18% of respondents said they exercised at least five days per week, and only 6% reported eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
At the same time, 28% of residents in Northampton County reported concerns over food insecurity.
About 74% of respondents reported being overweight, with the Hispanic population reporting 78%, with a correlation between income level and rates for diabetes.
“We know research shows that there is a correlation there, and our survey respondents have those same types of patterns," Szmodis said.
"So the higher numbers of 21.4 percent make less than $25,000 per year, and it kind of slides down to $100,000 or above,” Szmodis said.
“So if you make less than $25,000 a year, 21 percent of respondents reported having a diabetes diagnosis, compared to almost 11 percent of people making $100,000.”
St. Luke’s solutions to chronic health issues included its farm at the Anderson campus, which provides fresh produce to community partners and encourages healthy eating.
Also, Food Rx, which provides assistance for those looking for better health choices and where to find additional help.
Ways to help
According to Szmodis, 51% of respondents to the survey listed mental health as a top priority.
He said 42.5% of students in Northampton County reported feeling sad or depressed most days in the past year.
“Our goal is to measurably improve outcomes related to the identified needs. Our strength is you. Our strength is working with all of you as organizations and as partners.”St. Luke’s Easton Campus President Linda J. Grass
"We asked our survey respondents about alcohol misuse, and almost 18 perent reported having at least one binge drinking day in the past 30 days," Szmodis said.
"We know this is typically underreported."
Ways to help include the St. Luke’s Penn Foundation mental service line; the YESS!, or Your Emotional Strength Supported!, program, which works with local schools; grant-based programs that work with local schools for improved mental health access; and more.
From the massive amount of data collected, St. Luke’s can develop a guide to address specific needs across wellness and prevention, care transformation and research and partnerships.
The end game is creating pathways for better health outcomes and addressing gaps in care across the board, especially in vulnerable populations including the Hispanic community, unhoused individuals and families, seniors, women and children.
“Our goal is to measurably improve outcomes related to the identified needs,” Grass told the crowd of community partners and other representatives at the Easton Campus on Monday.
“Our strength is you. Our strength is working with all of you as organizations and as partners.”
