4A (Expenses $ 106252041 including grants of $ 0) (Revenue $ 158052778)
"NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH CORPORATION, D/B/A LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL-HAZLETON (LVH-H) IS PART OF LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK (LVHN), A MULTI-HOSPITAL SYSTEM LOCATED IN ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA. LVH-H IS THE ONLY INPATIENT HEALTH CARE PROVIDER IN THE GREATER HAZLETON AREA SERVING A POPULATION OF OVER 80,000 PEOPLE WITHIN THREE COUNTIES, INCLUDING A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE HISPANIC POPULATION. WE OFFER QUALITY CONTINUUM OF CARE SERVICES BEGINNING AT BIRTH IN THE FAMILY BIRTH AND NEWBORN CENTER, ACUTE INPATIENT MEDICAL AND SURGICAL SERVICES, EMERGENCY SERVICES, INPATIENT REHAB AT THE GUNDERSON CENTER FOR INPATIENT REHABILITATION AND HOME CARE SERVICES THROUGH LEHIGH VALLEY HOME CARE-HAZLETON. OUTPATIENT DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REHAB SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AT THE HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER AT HAZLETON (PA.), THE HEALTH CENTER AT MOUNTAIN TOP (PA.) AND STATION CIRCLE (HAZLE TOWNSHIP, PA.), AS WELL AS OUTPATIENT CANCER TREATMENT AT THE LVHN CANCER CENTER HAZLETON. LEHIGH VALLEY PHYSICIAN GROUP (LVPG), A SUBSIDIARY OF LVHN, IS A MULTI-SPECIALTY MEDICAL OUTPATIENT CARE PROVIDER. LVPG-HAZLETON (LVPG-H) IS THE OUTPATIENT MEDICAL PROVIDER GROUP ALIGNED WITH LVH-H. ADDITIONALLY, LVH-H HAS A ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT DELIVERS HEALTH AND WELLNESS EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND HEALTH SCREENINGS FREE OF CHARGE TO THE COMMUNITY. A COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT (CHNA) IS CONDUCTED EVERY THREE YEARS. WE DELIVER OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES WITH COMPASSION AND HIGH STANDARDS OF QUALITY TO THE RESIDENTS OF GREATER HAZLETON REGARDLESS OF RACE, SEX, RELIGION OR ECONOMIC STATUS.STRATEGIC DIRECTIONSTRATEGIC PLANNING IN HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVES CREATING OBJECTIVES AND SETTING GOALS FOR WHERE THE ORGANIZATION SEES ITSELF LONG TERM AND HOW IT CAN STRENGTHEN ACCESS TO EFFICIENT AND AFFORDABLE CARE TO THE COMMUNITY SERVED. LVH-H'S THREE-YEAR STRATEGIC GOALS AND PRIORITIES INCLUDE INCREASED PATIENT SATISFACTION, PROVIDER RECRUITMENT, IMPROVED EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT SERVICES WITH FOCUSES ON TRANSFERS AND ADMISSIONS, REDUCTION IN LENGTH OF STAY, INTEGRATION OF MUSCULOSKELETAL (MSK) SERVICES AND BUILDING OF A NEW CANCER CENTER. IN ADDITION, A MASTER FACILITIES PLAN WAS IN DEVELOPMENT IN FY 2022, TO INCLUDE THE HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER AT HAZLETON AND CLINICS AT STATION CIRCLE AND 1000 ALLIANCE DRIVE (DESSEN CENTER), TO BEST DETERMINE WHAT SERVICES WOULD BEST BE LOCATED AT THESE FACILITIES TO ALLOW GREATER ACCESS TO PRIMARY AND SPECIALTY HEALTH CARE TO MEET THE GROWING NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESPONSE ONE OF THE PRIMARY FOCUSES IN FY 2022 CONTINUED TO BE RESPONDING TO THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC AS NEW VARIANTS EMERGED. LVH-H CONTINUED TO IMPLEMENT THE FOLLOWING INITIATIVES FROM FY 2021:CONTINUED TO EDUCATE AND UPDATE LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF COVID POSITIVE PATIENTS IN THE GREATER HAZLETON AREA.CONTINUED TO PROVIDE FREE COVID-19 TESTING TO THE COMMUNITY. IN FY 2022, 11,647 TESTS WERE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE TO THE COMMUNITY.OPENED A FREE COVID-19 VACCINATION CLINIC AT THE HOSPITAL IN DECEMBER 2020 AND PROVIDED 25,534 COVID-19 VACCINATIONS FREE TO 9,434 COMMUNITY MEMBERS DURING THE REST OF FY 2022. IN ADDITION, LVHN'S MOBILE VACCINATION TEAM BROUGHT VACCINES TO AREA SCHOOLS, INDUSTRIES, LOW-INCOME HOUSING COMPLEXES AND OTHER UNDERSERVED AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY. IDENTIFIED ADDITIONAL INTERPRETATION SERVICES/INTERPRETER RESOURCES TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WITH OUR HISPANIC PATIENTS.DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED A COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNICATION PLAN TARGETED TO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, WHICH MAKES UP 50% OF HAZLETON'S CENTER CITY POPULATION, TO CONTINUE EDUCATING THEM ON COVID-19, HOW TO STOP THE SPREAD AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE COVID VACCINATION. THE TACTICS INCLUDED EMAIL BLASTS, SOCIAL MEDIA, PRINT MEDIA, DIGITAL BILLBOARDS, VIDEOS AND INTERVIEWS WITH HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, ALL PROVIDED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.QUALITY CAREQUALITY HEALTH CARE IS CARE THAT IS SAFE, EFFECTIVE, PATIENT-CENTERED, TIMELY, EFFICIENT, AND EQUITABLE. AT LVHN, OUR MISSION IS TO HEAL, COMFORT AND CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS DONE THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH ALL LEVELS OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. STANDARD OF CARE AND BEST PRACTICES ARE ALWAYS THE GOAL. THROUGH CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES, WE STRIVE TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO BRING ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS THAT RESULT IN IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR OUR PATIENTS. THIS INVOLVES A TEAM EFFORT THAT STRIVES TO ENCOURAGE COLLABORATION ACROSS ALL DISCIPLINES AND ENABLE BEST USE OF OUR AVAILABLE RESOURCES. PROCESSES SPECIFIC TO QUALITY MANAGEMENT INCLUDE MONITORING AND EVALUATING DATA, FORMULATING STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT AND SHARING INFORMATION WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS TO INITIATE PROCESS CHANGES AS NEEDED. SPECIFIC AREAS OF ATTENTION INCLUDES CARE OF PATIENTS WITH STROKE, HEART FAILURE, SEPSIS, ALL CAUSE READMISSION RATES, MORTALITY, PATIENT SAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT ALONG WITH COMPLIANCE WITH STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REGULATIONS AS WELL AS THOSE OF THE ACCREDITATION COMMISSION FOR HEALTHCARE. BELOW ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF PROGRAMS AT LVH-H AND ALSO SOME RECOGNITIONS FROM FY22 THAT ILLUSTRATES OUR COMMITMENT TO BEST PRACTICES AND QUALITY PATIENT OUTCOMES:- SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACT AND PRESENTATION BY TWO LOCAL PHYSICIANS AT A VIZIENT CONFERENCE IN NOVEMBER 2021. PRESENTATION WAS ENTITLED ""YOUR HEALTH DESERVES A PARTNER-NAVIGATING COVID 19 FOR THE LATINO POPULATION AND WAS BASED ON LVH-H'S EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION EFFORTS IN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK AND PANDEMIC. - ACHIEVED LEAPFROG SAFETY GRADE ""A"" FOR SPRING 2022 - RECEIVED AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION GET WITH THE GUIDELINES 2022 STROKE GOLD PLUS WITH TARGET: STROKE HONOR ROLL ELITE AND TARGET: TYPE 2 DIABETES HONOR ROLL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD- RECEIVED AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION GET WITH THE GUIDELINES 2022 HEART FAILURE GOLD PLUS WITH TARGET: HEART FAILURE HONOR ROLL AND TARGET: TYPE 2 DIABETES HONOR ROLL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD- RECOGNIZED BY THE HOSPITAL AND HEALTHSYSTEM ASSOCIATION OF PENNSYLVANIA (HAP) FOR EXCELLENCE IN PATIENT SAFETY - RECOGNIZED BY HAP FOR STELLAR PERFORMANCE ENSURING PATIENTS' SAFETY. LVH-H WAS AMONG 17 HOSPITALS STATEWIDE TO RECEIVE HAP'S EXCELLENCE IN PATIENT SAFETY RECOGNITION IN FY 2022. - RECOGNIZED IN U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT BEST HOSPITALS' EDITION AS HIGH PERFORMING IN THREE COMMON ADULT PROCEDURES AND CONDITIONS: CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD), HEART FAILURE AND KIDNEY FAILURE. - LVH-HAZLETON IS A MEMBER OF VIZIENT, INC., THE NATION'S LARGEST HEALTH CARE PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT COMPANY THAT COMPARES HOSPITAL QUALITY AND PATIENT SATISFACTION. OUT OF 267 HOSPITALS IN OUR COHORT, HAZLETON RANKED 135 IN FY 2022, WHICH IS THE 51ST PERCENTILE. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT OVER PRIOR YEAR WHEN WE WERE AT THE 29TH PERCENTILE. OUR CONTINUED FOCUS ON PATIENT SAFETY WAS THE BIGGEST DRIVER IN THE IMPROVED RANKING."

4B (Expenses $ 0 including grants of $ 0) (Revenue $ 0)
NEW/EXPANDED SERVICESLVH-H IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO PROVIDE OUR COMMUNITY WITH ACCESS TO QUALITY MEDICAL CARE, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH NEW OR ENHANCED SERVICES OR BY DIRECTING THEM TO SPECIALIZED CARE AT ONE OF OUR SISTER HOSPITALS AT LVHN. HERE ARE JUST SOME OF THE NEW OR ENHANCED SERVICES LVH-H PROVIDED IN FY 2022.COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTERLVH-H ANNOUNCED PLANS IN APRIL 2021 TO BUILD A COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER ON THE HOSPITAL CAMPUS. WHEN COMPLETED IN LATE SUMMER 2023, THE NEW 32,000 SQ. FT., $20 MILLION CANCER CENTER WILL HOUSE MEDICAL ONCOLOGY WITH SEVEN EXAM ROOMS, A PROCEDURE ROOM AND A PHLEBOTOMY LAB; RADIATION ONCOLOGY WITH TWO EXAM ROOMS, A PROCEDURE ROOM, A LINEAR ACCELERATOR AND A CT/SIM; AN INFUSION SUITE WITH 14 PRIVATE INFUSION ROOMS; AND A SESSION SUITE WITH TWO EXAM ROOMS AND ONE PROCEDURE ROOM FOR ROTATING PROVIDERS. CURRENTLY, INFUSION SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AT AN OFF-SITE MEDICAL OFFICE THAT IS QUICKLY OUTGROWING ITS SPACE, AND PATIENTS NEEDING RADIATION TREATMENT MUST TRAVEL TO OTHER LOCATIONS DUE TO A LACK OF THIS SERVICE IN THE COMMUNITY. THE NEED IS VERY CLEAR, AND THIS EXPANSION WILL ALLOW OUR PATIENTS TO RECEIVE MANY OF THEIR TREATMENTS IN A CENTRALIZED LOCATION WITHOUT THE NEED TO TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES.EMERGENCY SERVICES SINCE BECOMING A LEVEL IV TRAUMA CENTER IN 2015, THE TRAUMA PROGRAM AT LVH-H HAS CONTINUED TO PROVIDE OPTIMAL CARE AND REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF DEATH OR DISABILITY TO INJURED PATIENTS WHO ENTER ITS EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT (ED). BECAUSE OF THE CONTINUED EFFORTS OF INCESSANTLY BEING PREPARED TO STABILIZE AND TREAT THE MOST SERIOUS LIFE-THREATENING AND DISABLING INJURIES PRIOR TO TRANSFER TO A LEVEL 1 TRAUMA CENTER, THE PENNSYLVANIA TRAUMA SYSTEMS FOUNDATION (PTSF) IN FY 2022 HAS REACCREDITED LVH-HAZLETON AS A LEVEL IV TRAUMA CENTER FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. THIS IS THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF YEARS A TRAUMA CENTER MAY BE ACCREDITED.LVH-HAZLETON EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT (ED), ALONG WITH ALL OF OUR HEALTH NETWORK HOSPITALS, CONTINUES TO BE CHALLENGED WITH HIGH PATIENT VOLUMES IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. A RAPID IMPROVEMENT TEAM WAS DEVELOPED TO FOCUS ON IMPROVEMENT IN EFFICIENCIES OF OPERATIONS OF THE ED, REDUCE PATIENT WAIT TIMES AND IMPROVE PATIENT THROUGHPUT. THIS MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM CONSISTED OF ALL AREAS THAT TOUCH THE ED INCLUDING LAB, RADIOLOGY, PHARMACY, HOUSEKEEPING, FOOD SERVICE, EMS, AND REGISTRATION. INITIATIVES WERE DEVELOPED RESULTING IN A DECREASE IN LEFT WITHOUT BEING SEEN (LWBS) FROM 18 PERCENT TO 5 PERCENT. HOSPICE SERVICES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPICE, INPATIENT AND HOME CARE HOSPICE SERVICES NOW ARE PROVIDED TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. THIS IS THE ONLY INPATIENT HOSPICE PROGRAM SERVING THE GREATER HAZLETON AREA. THE PROGRAM MODEL IS DESIGNED TO DELIVER PERSON-CENTERED CARE RATHER THAN DISEASE-CENTERED CARE AND TO PROVIDE COMFORT AND CARE TO TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. IN FY22, HOSPICE SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO 53 LVH-H PATIENTS FOR A TOTAL OF 175 DAYS OF CARE. THIS IS A MUCH NEEDED AND WELCOMED ADDITION TO THE HAZLETON SERVICE LINE.TELE-HEALTH SERVICESAS TECHNOLOGY HAS ADVANCED, THE WAYS HEALTH CARE CAN BE PROVIDED HAVE CHANGED AND ADVANCED TOO. AT LVH-H, PATIENTS ARE BENEFITING FROM SECURE TELEHEALTH TECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO ACCESS AND RECEIVE QUALITY, SPECIALIZED CARE CONVENIENTLY. IN FY 2022, LVH-H ADDED INPATIENT TELE-PSYCH, TELEHEALTH FOR MATERNAL FETAL MEDICINE AND TELEHEALTH FOR PALLIATIVE CARE TO ITS GROWING LIST OF TELE-HEALTH SERVICES THAT INCLUDE INFECTIOUS DISEASE, NEUROLOGY, ADVANCED INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (AICU), BURN, NEUROSURGERY AND TOXICOLOGY. ORTHOPEDIC AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH LVHN ACQUIRED COORDINATED HEALTH, A REGIONAL LEADER IN ORTHOPEDICS AND SPORTS MEDICINE, IN 2019. IN FY 22, LVH-H, LVPG-H AND COORDINATED HEALTH HAZLETON LOCATION CONTINUED TO PLAN FOR OPERATIONAL AND CLINICAL MUSCULOSKELETAL AND OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE INTEGRATION TO PROVIDE BETTER, QUICKER ACCESS TO OUR PATIENTS AND TO MEET THE GROWING NEEDS OF OUR PATIENTS. SCHOOL-BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAMAN ATHLETIC TRAINING CONTRACT BETWEEN LVH-H AND THE HAZLETON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT (HASD) HAS BEEN RENEWED FOR A TEN-YEAR PERIOD. THE CONTRACT NOW INCLUDES A NON-ATHLETIC COMPONENT WHEREBY LVHN WILL BRING ITS SCHOOL-BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAM TO HAZLETON. THIS PROGRAM WILL MEASURABLY IMPROVE STUDENTS' MENTAL HEALTH AND RESILIENCY IN THE HAZLETON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT BY LAUNCHING EVIDENCE-BASED INDIVIDUAL THERAPY AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR STUDENTS ALONG WITH MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION FOR FACULTY TO HELP STUDENTS ADDRESS THEIR TRAUMA, IMPROVE THEIR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE AND STRENGTHEN THEIR OVERALL WELL-BEING.PROVIDER AND STAFF RECRUITMENT RECRUITMENT OF PRIMARY AND SPECIALTY PHYSICIANS AND ADVANCED PRACTICE CLINICIANS TO MEET THE GROWING NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUED TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR LVH-H AND LVPG-H IN FY 2022. IN SPITE OF THE CHALLENGES TO ATTRACT PROVIDERS TO OUR SMALL COMMUNITY, LVPGH WAS SUCCESSFUL IN RECRUITING ONE FAMILY PRACTICE PHYSICIAN, TWO CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE PRACTITIONERS, TWO PART-TIME CARDIOLOGISTS, A FULL-TIME PEDIATRICIAN AND ONE PART-TIME OB/GYN PHYSICIAN DURING THE FISCAL YEAR. IN ADDITION, HAZLETON LOST A FEW LONG-TERM PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS DUE TO RETIREMENT DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR, SO A STRATEGIC PLAN WAS DEVELOPED TO IDENTIFY THE NUMBER OF NEW PROVIDERS NEEDED TO SUFFICIENTLY CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THE BEST LOCATIONS TO RECRUIT AND PLACE PROVIDERS.CLINICAL STAFFING WAS AND CONTINUES TO BE A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE HEALTH NETWORK, PARTICULARLY FOR NURSES. SOME OF THE INITIATIVES AND OFFERINGS WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN TO RECRUIT NURSES AND OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS INCLUDE:- FORMATION OF EMERGENCY STAFFING OPERATIONS COMMITTEE (ESOC)- NURSING RECRUITMENT EVENTS- VISITING AREA COLLEGES WITH MEDICAL PROGRAMS- OFFERING SIGN-ON BONUSES- COLLEAGUE REFERRAL BONUSES- CRISIS PAY- COMPETITIVE WAGES- MARKETING OUTSIDE OUR REGION- BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH AREA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WITH NURSING AND OTHER CLINICAL PROGRAMSTECHNOLOGY/EQUIPMENT/FACILITIESADDITIONAL FACILITY RENOVATIONS TO THE HOSPITAL, THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE MOST RECENT HOSPITAL RENOVATIONS AND MODERNIZATION PROJECT, BEGAN IN FY 22. THESE INCLUDE RENOVATING AND UPDATING EQUIPMENT IN TWO OF THE HOSPITAL'S OPERATING ROOMS, A NEW ROOF FOR THE RENOVATED SECTION OF THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, CHANGING OF AIR HANDLER UNITS AND WATERPROOFING THE BUILDING, UPGRADING INTERIORS OF THE PATIENT AND STAFF ELEVATORS, MISCELLANEOUS WINDOW AND PLUMBING REPAIRS/REPLACEMENTS AND UPGRADING PATIENT BATHROOMS.LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL HAZLETON'S FAMILY BIRTH AND NEWBORN CENTER HAS RECENTLY INSTALLED A NEW AND INNOVATIVE INFANT SAFETY SYSTEM DEVELOPED BY CERTASCAN TECHNOLOGIES. THE PROPRIETARY SYSTEM ALLOWS THE HOSPITAL TO CAPTURE HIGH RESOLUTION NEWBORN FOOTPRINTS WHICH CAN BE USED FOR PRECISE IDENTIFICATION IN SITUATIONS LIKE AN ABDUCTION, LOST BABY OR NATURAL DISASTER. THE NEWBORN SAFETY SYSTEM, WHICH USES LIVESCAN TECHNOLOGY, HAS GARNERED THE ATTENTION AND PRAISE FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN (NCMEC) AND HAS BEEN INCLUDED AS A RECOMMENDATION FOR HOSPITALS IN ITS MOST RECENT INFANT SECURITY GUIDELINES. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ACCELERATED THE EXPANSION OF TELEHEALTH AND VIRTUAL OFFICES VISITS IN THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH THESE SERVICES, PATIENTS WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE CONSULTATIONS AND PRESCRIPTIONS FOR CARE WITHOUT LEAVING THEIR HOMES OR CONSULTATIONS WITH SPECIALTY PROVIDERS DURING VISITS WITH THEIR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS. THIS WAS JUST ONE OF THE MITIGATION EFFORTS PUT IN PLACE TO STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 AND HAS CONTINUED TO PROVIDE PATIENTS WITH GREATER ACCESS TO CARE IN A TIMELY MANNER.

4C (Expenses $ 0 including grants of $ 0) (Revenue $ 0)
INITIATIVES:- PARTNERED WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD - PROVIDED FITNESS AND NUTRITION EDUCATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITYBEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEED TO BETTER ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN THE COMMUNITY WITH FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND SUICIDE PREVENTIONINITIATIVES:- DEVELOPED A CENTRALIZED REFERRAL PROCESS FOR OUTPATIENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. - CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTHEAST COUNSELING TO PROVIDE PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION SERVICES IN THE LVH-H EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.- IMPLEMENTED THE USE OF TELE-PSYCHIATRY FOR INPATIENTS.- EDUCATED STAFF IN PSYCHIATRY, SURGERY, FAMILY MEDICINE, NEUROLOGY AND INTERNAL MEDICINE ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND OPIOID-RELATED ISSUES.- CONTINUED TO COLLABORATE WITH THE COUNTY DRUG AND ALCOHOL COUNCIL TO DELIVER WARM HAND-OFF SERVICES IN BOTH THE ED AND INPATIENTS SETTINGS. THERE WERE 143 WARM HAND-OFFS AT LVH-HAZLETON IN FY 2022.COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTLVH-H HELD ITS ANNUAL FREE COMMUNITY DRIVE-THRU FLU SHOT CLINIC IN FY 2022. THE CLINIC PROVIDED OVER 300 FREE VACCINES AND WAS WELL RECEIVED BY THE COMMUNITY. VACCINES WERE PROVIDED TO CHILDREN 6 MONTHS TO 12 YEARS OF AGE FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR.HIGHMARK BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD AWARDED A $15,000 GRANT TO THE HAZLETON INTEGRATION PROJECT (HIP) TO PROVIDE MEDICAL EXAMS FOR THE UNDERSERVED IN OUR AREA. LVH-H AND LVPG-H PARTNERED WITH HIP IN THIS HEALTH INITIATIVE TO SEE PEDIATRIC PATIENTS IN THE LVPG PEDIATRIC PRACTICES. THE HAZLETON INTEGRATION PROJECT IS A COMMUNITY-BASED EFFORT THAT SEEKS TO UNITE THE PEOPLE OF MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES WHO CALL HAZLETON HOME. THE PROJECT'S MAIN FOCUS IS THE OPERATION OF A HIGH-QUALITY COMMUNITY CENTER THAT SERVES ECONOMICALLY UNDERSERVED CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.WHILE THE RATE OF COVID-19 CASES STARTED TO DECREASE SOMEWHAT IN FY 22, LVH-H CONTINUED TO LIMIT FACE-TO-FACE ENGAGEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND USED INNOVATIVE WAYS TO INTERACT AND INFORM OUR PUBLIC. HERE ARE SOME OF THOSE WAYS:- VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS BY HOSPITAL PRESIDENT TO VARIOUS CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS- VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCES- VIRTUAL QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONS WITH THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY- PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, INDUSTRIES AND SCHOOLS TO DISTRIBUTE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ON COVID-19 AND OTHER SERVICES- EXPERT GUEST APPEARANCES (VIRTUAL) ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL TV SHOWS- PATIENT TESTIMONIAL VIDEOS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA- FEATURED STORIES IN LOCAL NEWSPAPERLVH-H CONTINUED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH MONETARY SPONSORSHIPS. IN FY 2022, APPROXIMATELY $75,000 WAS AWARDED TO SUPPORT CHNA-RELATED AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.LVH-H CONTINUED ITS OUTREACH TO SENIORS IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE VITALCHOICE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO HELP MEMBERS IN THEIR PERSONAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS JOURNEY BY PROVIDING THEM WITH MORE CHOICES, SERVICES, CONVENIENCE AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS. IN ADDITION, THE PROGRAM FEATURES A FITNESS CENTER DISCOUNT, ENROLLMENT IN SILVER SNEAKERS (IF INSURANCE APPLIES), FREE ANNUAL WELLNESS ASSESSMENT, COMPLIMENTARY PERSONALIZED TRAINING SESSION, FREE LUNCH AND LEARN SESSIONS AND MORE. VITALCHOICE ALSO KEEPS MEMBERS ENGAGED AND ACTIVE THROUGH SOCIAL AND ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS SUCH AS PICNICS, BUS TRIPS AND OTHER SOCIAL ACTIVITIES. LVH-H COLLEAGUES PARTICIPATED IN COMMUNITY EVENTS SUCH AS COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIRS THAT PROVIDED FREE EDUCATION AND MEDICAL SCREENINGS, CPR TRAINING, PLAYGROUND CLEAN-UPS, SALVATION ARMY BELL RINGING PROGRAM, CITY HALLOWEEN EVENT AND SERVING MEALS AT THE LOCAL SALVATION ARMY. THE HEALTHY YOU (NORTHWEST EDITION) PUBLICATION MADE ITS DEBUT IN JUNE WITH MAILED DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT COUNTIES WE SERVE. THIS FREE PUBLICATION IS YET ANOTHER WAY WE PROVIDE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON SERVICES, AS WELL AS HEALTH AND WELLNESS EDUCATION. IN FY 2022, A SPECIAL FUND WAS SET UP FOR LVH-H IN HONOR OF LONG-TIME BOARD MEMBER AND BOARD CHAIR THOMAS L. KENNEDY. CLOSE TO $80,000 WAS RAISED FOR THE THOMAS L. KENNEDY COMMUNITY HEALTH FUND THROUGH A COMMUNITY FUNDRAISER. THESE FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAMS FOR THE UNDERSERVED, SPECIFICALLY IN THE AREAS OF MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, DRUG AND ALCOHOL, WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES AND MEN'S HEALTH. LVH-HAZLETON WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE CASA DOMINICANA DE HAZLETON FOR SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY, AND IN PARTICULAR THE PATRONS OF CASA DOMINICANA DE HAZLETON, DURING THE PANDEMIC. WE ARE PLEASED WITH THE PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE FORMED WITH THE HISPANIC LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM TO PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OPPORTUNITIES.LVH-HAZLETON WAS THE PROUD WINNER OF THE 2022 STANDARD SPEAKER READER'S CHOICE AWARDS IN THE FOLLOWING HEALTH CATEGORIES: - BEST HOSPITAL-LVHN-HAZLETON- BEST PATIENT CARE-LVHN-HAZLETON

NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH CORPORATION
PART V, SECTION B, LINE 5: FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT (CHNA), LVHN DEFINES THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES AS ALL INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITHIN THE COUNTIES THAT CONTAIN OUR HOSPITAL CAMPUSES. LVHN IS REQUIRED TO PRODUCE A CHNA HEALTH PROFILE FOR EACH OF OUR LICENSED FACILITIES TO ADDRESS THE LOCAL CONTEXT OF THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. THEREFORE, LVHN HAS PRODUCED SEVEN CHNA HEALTH PROFILES FOR OUR LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL (LVH) CAMPUSES: LVH-CARBON (CARBON COUNTY); LVH-DICKSON CITY (LACKAWANNA COUNTY); LVH-HAZLETON (LUZERNE COUNTY); LVH-POCONO (MONROE COUNTY); LVH-CEDAR CREST, 17TH STREET, MUHLENBERG (LEHIGH COUNTY); LVH-HECKTOWN OAKS (NORTHAMPTON COUNTY); AND LVH-SCHUYLKILL (SCHUYLKILL COUNTY). LEHIGH AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTY ARE ALSO INCLUSIVE OF OUR COORDINATED HEALTH - ALLENTOWN AND COORDINATED HEALTH - BETHLEHEM CAMPUSES, RESPECTIVELY.WE ADDITIONALLY ASSESSED HEALTH NEEDS WITHIN THE CITY OF HAZLETON TO REFLECT THE URBAN COMMUNITY SURROUNDING OUR HAZLETON CAMPUS IN THE LUZERNE COUNTY REPORT, WHERE DATA WAS AVAILABLE. WITHIN THE ENTIRE GEOGRAPHIC POPULATION THAT MAKES UP THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE, WE PLACE A GREATER EMPHASIS ON INCLUDING INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HEALTH DISPARITIES TO A GREATER EXTENT OR WHO ARE AT-RISK FOR NEGATIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES BECAUSE OF THE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS INFLUENCING THEIR HEALTH. IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THE CLINICAL CARE PROVIDED TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS ONLY ACCOUNTS FOR A SMALL PORTION OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S OVERALL HEALTH. THERE ARE MANY OTHER FACTORS THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE AND HOSPITAL WALLS THAT INFLUENCE HEALTH BEYOND MEDICAL CARE. THEY INCLUDE:- SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS, SUCH AS EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT- PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT FACTORS, SUCH AS HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, AND AIR QUALITY- HEALTH BEHAVIORS, SUCH AS SMOKING, DRINKING, DIET, AND EXERCISETHEREFORE, THE CHNA HEALTH PROFILE PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT HEALTH CARE AS WELL AS OTHER HEALTH FACTORS FOLLOWED BY HEALTH OUTCOMES. THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF DATA INCLUDED IN THE CHNA HEALTH PROFILES. THE FIRST TYPE IS QUANTITATIVE DATA, OR NUMBERS AND STATISTICS ABOUT THE OVERALL POPULATION IN THE COMMUNITY. THESE STATISTICS COME FROM A VARIETY OF LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL SOURCES INCLUDING THE CENSUS, THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND THE CENTERS FOR MEDICAID AND MEDICARE SERVICES. MOST OF THESE DATA POINTS ARE COMPILED TOGETHER THROUGH A PLATFORM CALLED SPARKMAP FROM CARES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI EXTENSION, WHICH LVHN USES AS THE STARTING POINT FOR ITS CHNA HEALTH PROFILES, ADDING OTHER KEY STATE AND LOCAL DATA SOURCES TO THE DATA PROVIDED THROUGH THIS HEALTH REPORT.IN ADDITION, NON-PROFIT HOSPITAL SYSTEMS ARE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN INPUT FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO REPRESENT THE BROAD INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THOSE WITH PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTISE AND THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. LVHN CHOSE TO OBTAIN THIS INPUT THROUGH COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AND KEY STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LEADERS. THIS TYPE OF DATA IS REFERRED TO AS QUALITATIVE DATA. FOR EACH CAMPUS, WE PARTNERED WITH AN EXTERNAL COMMUNITY COLLABORATOR WHO HAS EXPERIENCE IN QUALITATIVE DATA COLLECTION TO CONDUCT THESE FOCUS GROUPS AND INTERVIEWS ON LVHN'S BEHALF. THIS PROCESS PROVIDED COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH AN INDEPENDENT AND OBJECTIVE OPPORTUNITY TO IDENTIFY AND SHARE THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND PERSPECTIVE ON THE MOST PRESSING HEALTH NEEDS FACING THEIR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS WHERE THEY WOULD LIKE LVHN TO FOCUS ITS ATTENTION. IN LUZERNE COUNTY, LVH-HAZLETON PARTNERED WITH NEXT EDGE STRATEGIES, AN ORGANIZATION THAT FOCUSES ON STRATEGIC DESIGN AND APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY. THE FOCUS GROUPS AND INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 2021 AND JANUARY 2022. IN LUZERNE COUNTY, WHERE OUR HAZLETON CAMPUS IS LOCATED, 68 PARTICIPANTS WERE INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AND 5 ADDITIONAL KEY STAKEHOLDERS WERE INTERVIEWED.BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF THE ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED IN THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AND INTERVIEWS AS WELL AS A SUMMARY OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED. RESIDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE FROM LOW-INCOME POPULATIONS AND OTHER GROUPS OF FOCUS, WERE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS.ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED IN LUZERNE COUNTY:HAZLETON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTHAZLETON INTEGRATION PROJECTGREATER HAZLETON CHAMBER OF COMMERCEGREATER HAZLETON CAN-DOPENNSYLVANIA CAREERLINK LUZERNE COUNTY/HAZLETONUNITED WAY OF GREATER HAZLETONDEMOGRAPHICS OF LUZERNE COUNTY:GENDER: 85% FEMALE, 15% MALEAVERAGE AGE: 44, AGE RANGE: 23-72RACE: 63% WHITE, 21% MULTI-RACIAL, 16% OTHER RACEETHNICITY: 53% NON-HISPANIC, 47% HISPANIC (OF ANY RACE)

NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH CORPORATION
PART V, SECTION B, LINE 6A: LVHN HAS PRODUCED SEVEN CHNA HEALTH PROFILES FOR OUR LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL (LVH) CAMPUSES: LVH-CARBON (CARBON COUNTY); LVH-DICKSON CITY (LACKAWANNA COUNTY); LVH-HAZLETON (LUZERNE COUNTY); LVH-POCONO (MONROE COUNTY); LVH-CEDAR CREST, 17TH STREET, MUHLENBERG; LVH-HECKTOWN OAKS (NORTHAMPTON COUNTY); AND LVH-SCHUYLKILL (SCHUYLKILL COUNTY). LEHIGH AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTY ARE ALSO INCLUSIVE OF OUR COORDINATED HEALTH - ALLENTOWN AND COORDINATED HEALTH - BETHLEHEM CAMPUSES, RESPECTIVELY.WE ADDITIONALLY ASSESSED HEALTH NEEDS WITHIN THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN TO REFLECT THE URBAN COMMUNITY SURROUNDING OUR 17TH STREET CAMPUS IN THE LEHIGH COUNTY REPORT, AND THE LUZERNE COUNTY REPORT INCLUDES INFORMATION ABOUT THE HEALTH NEEDS IN THE CITY OF HAZLETON WHERE IT WAS AVAILABLE. WITHIN THE ENTIRE GEOGRAPHIC POPULATION THAT MAKES UP THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE, WE PLACE A GREATER EMPHASIS ON INCLUDING INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HEALTH DISPARITIES TO A GREATER EXTENT OR WHO ARE AT-RISK FOR NEGATIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES BECAUSE OF THE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS INFLUENCING THEIR HEALTH.

NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH CORPORATION
PART V, SECTION B, LINE 6B: ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED IN LUZERNE COUNTY:HAZLETON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTHAZLETON INTEGRATION PROJECTGREATER HAZLETON CHAMBER OF COMMERCEGREATER HAZLETON CAN-DOPENNSYLVANIA CAREERLINK LUZERNE COUNTY/HAZLETONUNITED WAY OF GREATER HAZLETON

NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH CORPORATION
PART V, SECTION B, LINE 7D: OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT IS ALSO AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH CORPORATION
PART V, SECTION B, LINE 11: PRIORITY AREA: ACCESS TO CARE FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONSLVHN'S 2019 CHNA HIGHLIGHTED VULNERABLE POPULATIONS THAT CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE BARRIERS TO ACCESS TO CARE INCLUDING: - OUR VETERAN POPULATION, WHO MAKE UP APPROXIMATELY 9% OF THE POPULATION IN LUZERNE COUNTY- MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE, WHO REPRESENT 7.6% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION IN LUZERNE COUNTY. THROUGH THE FOCUS GROUPS DISCUSSIONS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ALL COUNTIES EXPRESSED STRESS AROUND THE INCREASING COST OF HEALTHCARE, CRITICAL MEDICATIONS AND THE STRUGGLE OF BALANCING COST WITH COMPETING BASIC NEEDS. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE LACK OF HEALTH INSURANCE OR ABILITY TO PAY FOR MEDICATIONS OFTEN RESULTED IN LIMITING THE USE OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM OR ADDRESSING CHRONIC CONDITIONS. TRANSPORTATION WAS ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED AS ANOTHER BARRIER TO CARE, PARTICULARLY IN THE MORE RURAL SCHUYLKILL AND MONROE COUNTIES. THESE INPUTS FROM THE COMMUNITY ALIGN WITH LVHN'S MISSION OF ADDRESSING THE HEALTH NEEDS FOR ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND, THEREFORE, WAS PRIORITIZED WITHIN THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AS DISCUSSED BELOW.MEDICATION ASSISTANCETO ADDRESS THE RISING CONCERN ABOUT THE COST OF MEDICATIONS, LVHN'S INTEGRATED CARE COORDINATION TEAM WORKS TO GET PATIENTS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO PRESCRIPTION DISCOUNT PROGRAMS, THEREBY, REDUCING THE COST BURDEN ON THE PATIENT. PATIENTS FROM 40 LVPG PRACTICES ACROSS ALL 5 COUNTIES RECEIVED THIS SERVICE. IN FY20, THE INTEGRATED CARE COORDINATION TEAM ADDRESSED A TOTAL OF 3,386 CASES TOTALING $5,788,040 IN PRESCRIPTION ASSISTANCE. IN FY21, THE TEAM ADDRESSED 3,023 CASES TOTALING $6,161,748. IN FY22, THE TEAM ADDRESSED 2,974 CASES TOTALING $6,824,758.CONNECTION TO HEALTH INSURANCE & FINANCIAL ASSISTANCELEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK PROVIDES DIRECT LINKAGES TO RESOURCES AIMED AT ASSISTING UNINSURED PATIENTS IN GETTING INSURANCE COVERAGE, AS WELL AS A ROBUST FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, CREATING ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.THE PATHS PROGRAM AT LVHN HELPS DETERMINE THE ELIGIBILITY FOR INSURANCE FOR UNDERINSURED AND UNINSURED PATIENTS, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. PATHS REPRESENTATIVES ARE EMBEDDED IN MULTIPLE AREAS IN OUR HOSPITALS, WORKING ALONGSIDE LVHN STAFF. THIS HELPS EXPEDITE THE REFERRAL PROCESS QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY AS PATHS COLLEAGUES CAN CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH PATIENTS AND COUNTY OFFICES TO EXPEDITE PAPERWORK THAT IS REQUIRED AND IF NEEDED FACILITATE IN-PERSON INTERACTIONS. ON AVERAGE, BETWEEN 75 AND 90% OF APPLICATIONS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE ARE APPROVED. IN FY20, THIS RESULTED IN OVER $17 MILLION IN PAYMENTS FROM THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA AND SURROUNDING STATES. IN FY21, THE PATHS PROGRAM RESULTED IN OVER $30 MILLION IN PAYMENTS, NEARLY DOUBLING TOTALS FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR. IN FY22, THE PATHS PROGRAM RESULTED IN JUST UNDER $26 MILLION IN PAYMENTS. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REFERRALS DECREASED FROM LAST YEAR DUE TO PREVIOUS ELIGIBILITY BEING EXTENDED THROUGHOUT THE COVID PANDEMIC. IN ADDITION TO THE PATHS PROGRAM, LVHN PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO PATIENTS WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO COVER THE COST OF THEIR HEALTH CARE. IN FY20, LVH-HAZLETON RECEIVED 986 APPLICATIONS WITH A 7-DAY AVERAGE TO TURN AROUND AN APPLICATION APPROVAL. IN FY21, LVH-HAZLETON RECEIVED 189 APPLICATIONS WITH A 5-DAY AVERAGE TO TURN AROUND AN APPLICATION APPROVAL. AN AVERAGE OF 73% OF APPLICATIONS WERE APPROVED, UP FROM 64% IN FY20. IN FY22, FOR THE PATIENTS WHO LIVE IN COUNTIES PRIMARILY SERVED BY LVH-HAZLETON, THERE WERE 1,030 APPLICATIONS RECEIVED. THE AVERAGE TURNAROUND TIME FOR APPLICATIONS WAS 4 DAYS, AND THE PERCENT APPROVED WAS 77%. PLEASE NOTE THAT IN FY22 REPORTING IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE IN THE ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD RESULTING IN A MORE ACCURATE COUNT OF LVH-H APPLICATIONS COMPARED TO THE COUNTS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEARS. PRIORITY AREA: HEALTH PROMOTION AND PREVENTIONIN THE 2019 LVHN CHNA FOCUS GROUPS, PARTICIPANTS ASKED FOR A GREATER PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY FROM HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS IN THE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE MOST FREQUENTLY LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY. COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ALL 5 COUNTIES CALLED FOR ADDITIONAL CARE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, INCLUDING FOLLOW-UPS AT HOME, SERVICES AT SCHOOLS AND SENIOR CENTERS WHERE PEOPLE ARE LOCATED, AND OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ABOUT AVAILABLE RESOURCES. FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS ALSO SAID THEY ARE GENERALLY UNAWARE OF WHEN OR WHERE VARIOUS LVHN SCREENING EVENTS OR SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE. THIS RANKED IN THE TOP THREE HEALTH CARE PRIORITIES THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS WANTED TO SEE ADDRESSED. AS SUCH, LVHN LEADERSHIP PRIORITIZED THIS AS AN ISSUE THAT HAD SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE, CAPACITY, AND ALIGNMENT. THEREFORE, LVHN COMMITTED TO PROMOTE FREE AND LOW-COST SCREENINGS FOR CHRONIC CONDITIONS AND CANCER SCREENINGS IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ARE LOCATED IN ORDER TO INCREASE UTILIZATION OF THESE SERVICES AND EARLY DETECTION.THE ZIP CODE WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL RESIDES CAN BE A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCER OF HEALTH OUTCOMES. IN ORDER TO FOCUS HEALTH PROMOTION AND PREVENTION EFFORTS, LVHN DETERMINED WHICH ZIP CODES REPRESENT THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WITHIN EACH OF THE 5 COUNTIES OUR PATIENTS RESIDE. THIS WAS DEFINED BY A METRIC OF 15% OR MORE OF THE POPULATION LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE AND HAS LESS THAN A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION. IN ADDITION, LVHN SERVES A SUBSTANTIAL MEDICAID POPULATION IN THESE ZIP CODES. THE FOLLOWING AREAS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED: LUZERNE (LVH-H) - 18201, 18202, 18223, 18224IN FY20 & 21 ACROSS THE REGION, LVHN WAS ABLE TO PROMOTE HEALTH OR PROVIDE HEALTHCARE SCREENINGS IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:PREVENTATIVE HEALTH SCREENINGS & SERVICESLVHN ALSO HAD A VARIETY OF SCREENING OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING FOR BREAST CANCER. IN FY20, A TOTAL OF 1,865 MAMMOGRAMS WERE COMPLETED THROUGH LVHN'S MAMMOGRAM COACH. THE BREAKDOWN BY COUNTY IS PROVIDED BELOW, WITH 6% OF THE MAMMOGRAMS PROVIDED IN LUZERNE COUNTY ON THE MAMMOGRAM COACH FOR PATIENTS FROM THE TARGET ZIP CODES. IN FY21, A TOTAL OF 1,840 MAMMOGRAMS WERE COMPLETED THROUGH LVHN'S MAMMOGRAM COACH. THE BREAKDOWN FOR LUZERNE COUNTY IS PROVIDED BELOW WITH 95 MAMMOGRAMS WERE COMPLETED IN LUZERNE COUNTY, 36% OF WHICH WERE FOR PATIENTS FROM THE TARGET ZIP CODES. IN FY22, THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 2,075 MAMMOGRAMS COMPLETED THROUGH LVHN'S MAMMOGRAM COACH; 21% WERE FOR PATIENTS FROM THE TARGET ZIP CODES.IN FY20 63 MAMMOGRAMS WERE PERFORMED IN LUZERNE COUNTY, WITH 8 FOLLOW-UP IMAGING, AND 0 CANCERS FOUND. IN FY21 95 MAMMOGRAMS WERE PERFORMED IN LUZERNE COUNTY, WITH 21 FOLLOW-UP IMAGING, AND 1 CANCER FOUND. IN FY22 87 MAMMOGRAMS WERE PERFORMED IN LUZERNE COUNTY, WITH 19 FOLLOW-UP IMAGING, AND 0 CANCERS FOUND.THE LVHN CANCER CENTER ALSO FACILITATES LOW-DOSE LUNG CANCER SCREENINGS, A SPECIAL KIND OF X-RAY THAT TAKES MULTIPLE PICTURES OF THE LUNGS THAT ARE COMBINED INTO A DETAILED PICTURE OF THE LUNGS FOR EARLY CANCER DETECTION, FOR LVH-HAZLETON PATIENTS WHO ARE REFERRED TO THE CANCER CENTER BY THEIR PCP. PATIENTS ARE REFERRED AND SCHEDULED BASED ON THE MEDICARE ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES. ONCE THE RESULTS OF THE SCAN ARE AVAILABLE, A LETTER IS SENT TO THE PATIENT AND A PATIENT NAVIGATOR ASSISTS THE PATIENT WITH FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS OR FUTURE SCANS IF NEEDED. A TOTAL OF 227 LOW-DOSE CT (LDCT) LUNG CANCER SCREENINGS WERE COMPLETED AT LVH-HAZLETON IN FY20, 44% OF WHICH WERE FOR PATIENTS WITHIN THE TARGET ZIP CODES LISTED ABOVE. IN FY21 THAT NUMBER DECREASED SLIGHTLY DUE TO THE ONGOING PANDEMIC, BUT NEARLY 200 WERE COMPLETED WITH A LARGE TARGET PERCENTAGE INCREASE WITH NEARLY 70% IN THE TARGET ZIP CODES. IN FY22, 312 SCREENINGS WERE COMPLETED. OF THOSE 47% WERE IN THE TARGET ZIP CODE AREAS.

NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH CORPORATION
PART V, SECTION B, LINE 18E: COLLECTION ACTIVITIES ARE LIMITED TO HOSPITAL SENDING FOUR STATEMENTS REQUESTING PAYMENT. THE STATEMENTS INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HOSPITAL'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE POLICY, SOLICITING THE PATIENTS PARTICIPATION IN THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

PART V, SECTION B, LINE 11 (CONTINUATION A)
"HEALTH PROMOTION & HEALTH FAIRSAT LVH-HAZLETON, COLLEAGUES ENGAGED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION EVENTS, MANY OF WHICH FOCUSED ON LUNG CANCER AND COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENINGS, MAMMOGRAMS, AND CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH IN FY20. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, THESE EVENTS WERE MOSTLY ON HOLD IN FY21. IN FY22, LVH-HAZELTON PARTNERED WITH, ENGAGED, AND EDUCATED THE COMMUNITY IN NUMEROUS WAYS, INCLUDING ABOUT COVID-19, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VACCINE, AND HEALTHY LIVING, PARTICIPATED IN 13 INTERACTIVE EVENTS THE 1ST QUARTER OF FY22. THE OMICRON VARIANT SLOWED IN-PERSON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THE SECOND AND THIRD QUARTERS, BUT LVH-HAZLETON PARTICIPATED IN OR HELD A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY-RELATED EVENTS WITH OUR PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE HAZELTON ROTARY CLUB AND THE HAZELTON SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND IN A SENIOR HEALTH FAIR. IN ADDITION, LVH-HAZLETON PARTICIPATED IN A DROP THE DRUGS EVENT, IN WHICH OVER 46 POUNDS OF RETURNED DRUGS WERE COLLECTED. LVH-HAZLETON CONTINUES TO SPONSOR A TV NEWS SEGMENT CALLED ""WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS"" ON LOCAL WYNL TV 35 NEWS, WHERE LVHN PROVIDERS AND STAFF ARE ABLE TO SPEAK AND EDUCATE ABOUT IMPORTANT PREVENTATIVE CARE AND OTHER HEALTH-RELATED ISSUES. THESE NEWS SEGMENTS OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLNESS TO A WIDE AUDIENCE WITHIN THE HAZLETON AREA. IN FY20, A WELLNESS WEDNESDAY SEGMENT FOCUSED ON PANCREATIC CANCER, COLONOSCOPY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF LUNG CANCER SCREENINGS AND SMOKING CESSATION. TWO PROVIDERS ALSO TAPED SEGMENTS ON CANCER SCREENING IMPORTANCE FOR WYLN TV 35, WHICH AIRED DURING THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY TELETHON. IN FY21, THIS CONTINUED, WITH TOPICS ON HEALTHY EATING AND HEALTHY CHILD DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF SEGMENTS RELATED TO COVID-19. IN FY22, TOPICS INCLUDED FLU SHOTS, CHILDREN AND MEDICATION, THE BABY FORMULA SHORTAGE, HEART DISEASE, SEASONAL TOPICS SUCH AS POOL SAFETY, ALLERGIES, AND COLD WEATHER, AND MORE. LVH-HAZLETON'S SECOND ANNUAL FREE FLU DRIVE PROVIDED 311 SHOTS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AN INCREASE FROM FY21.PRIORITY AREA: INCLUSION AND DIVERSITYCOMMUNITY MEMBERS EXPRESSED FEEDBACK REGARDING ISSUES OF INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY AMONG LVHN'S STAFF AND SERVICES. PATIENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS STRESSED THE NEED FOR LIVE INTERPRETATION SERVICES, TO ALLOW THEM TO INTERACT WITH THEIR PROVIDERS IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE AND A WARM RECEPTION IN A CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE MANNER. THIS IS MOST NEEDED IN LUZERNE COUNTY, WHERE 4% OF THE POPULATION IS CONSIDERED ""LINGUISTICALLY ISOLATED."" THIS NUMBER BALLOONS TO 17% IN HAZLETON CITY PROPER. BELOW IS THE RACIAL DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR SERVICE AREA. THE TABLE SHOWS THAT THE HISPANIC POPULATION IS JUST UNDER 10% IN LUZERNE COUNTY, BUT THERE IS A CONCENTRATION OF THE HISPANIC POPULATION IN THE CITY OF HAZLETON, HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE LANGUAGE SUPPORT AND CULTURAL AWARENESS ACROSS THE NETWORK. THE COMMUNITY MENTIONED THESE ISSUES MULTIPLE TIMES IN FOCUS GROUPS, PARTICULARLY IN LEHIGH, LUZERNE, AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES. LVHN LEADERSHIP AGREED, RANKING INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY RELATED ISSUES AS ONE THAT WOULD HAVE A MODERATE IMPACT ON OVERALL HEALTH, BUT IT ALIGNED WITH OVERALL ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS AND WAS AN INITIATIVE WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ADDRESS. IN LUZERNE COUNTY, THE TOTAL POPULATION IS 319,000, OF WHICH 90% OF THE POPULATION IDENTIFIES AS WHITE, 4% BLACK, 1.1% ASIAN, AND 3.5% OTHER. MULTIPLE RACES ARE IDENTIFIED AS 1.8% OF THE POPULATION, 9.3% OF THE POPULATION IDENTIFIES AS HISPANIC, AND 90.7% IDENTIFIES AS NON-HISPANIC.LVHN WILL FOCUS ON TWO IMPORTANT STRATEGIES. FIRST, LVHN WILL INCREASE ACCESS TO LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION AT ALL HEALTH CARE SERVICE SITES, BUILDING ON THE ALREADY STRONG SET OF SERVICES AVAILABLE. SECOND, LVHN WILL CUSTOMIZE ROBUST COLLEAGUE EDUCATION AROUND CULTURAL AWARENESS AND INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY TO ENSURE ALL PATIENTS RECEIVE A WARM WELCOME, PARTICULARLY POPULATIONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AT EACH OF OUR CAMPUSES. INTERPRETER SERVICESAT EVERY LVHN CAMPUS, INTERPRETER SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO ENSURE THAT PATIENTS ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH CLINICIANS AND STAFF IN THEIR PREFERRED LANGUAGE. LVHN PROVIDES A COMBINATION OF LIVE INTERPRETATION WITH THE PATIENT, PHONE INTERPRETATION, AND VIDEO INTERPRETATION VIA IPAD. THIS MIXED MEDIA APPROACH OFFERS THE FASTEST RESPONSE BASED ON PATIENT NEEDS. IN FY20, 15 TRAINED MEDICAL INTERPRETER STAFF PROVIDED 602,682 MINUTES OF INTERPRETATION ACROSS ALL LVHN SITES. IN FY20, ADDITIONAL INTERPRETER IPADS WERE ADDED TO THE LVH-HAZLETON EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT TO INCREASE ACCESS TO INTERPRETER SERVICES.IN FY2020 AT LVH-HAZLETON, 15,459 VIDEO INTERPRETER ENCOUNTERS ACCOUNTED FOR 186,450 MINUTES OF VIDEO TRANSMISSION. AT PHYSICIAN PRACTICES AFFILIATED WITH LVH-HAZLETON, 46,604 VIDEO ENCOUNTERS WERE RECORDED, ACCOUNTING FOR 732,953 MINUTES OF VIDEO INTERPRETER SERVICES.IN FY21, 22 TRAINED MEDICAL INTERPRETER STAFF PROVIDED 701,340 MINUTES OF INTERPRETATION DURING NEARLY 41,000 UNIQUE ENCOUNTERS ACROSS ALL LVHN SITES. AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CONTINUES, VIRTUAL INTERPRETATION IS A VITAL SERVICE FOR PATIENTS. IN FY2021 AT LVH-HAZLETON, 7,344 VIDEO INTERPRETER ENCOUNTERS ACCOUNTED FOR 141,600 MINUTES OF VIDEO TRANSMISSION. AT PHYSICIAN PRACTICES AFFILIATED WITH LVH-HAZLETON, 43,135 VIDEO ENCOUNTERS WERE RECORDED, ACCOUNTING FOR 708,507 MINUTES OF VIDEO INTERPRETER SERVICES.CULTURAL AWARENESS AND STAFF EDUCATIONTHE CHIEF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION LIAISON OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR LVHN STAFF, RANGING FROM GENERAL CULTURAL AWARENESS COVERED AT ""CONNECTIONS"" (THE ORIENTATION PROGRAM FOR ALL NEW LVHN EMPLOYEES) TO AUDIENCE-SPECIFIC CONTENT INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP, UNCONSCIOUS BIAS, RESPONDING TO MICROAGGRESSIONS, AND CROSS-CULTURAL CARE. IN FY20, OVER 60 TRAININGS WERE HELD WITH JUST OVER 4,000 EMPLOYEES ATTENDING IN TOTAL. IN FY21, NEARLY 50 TRAININGS WERE HELD WITH OVER 4,000 EMPLOYEES ATTENDING. IN FY22, 37 TRAININGS WERE HELD FOR 2,641 EMPLOYEES IN ATTENDANCE. ADDITIONAL DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION EDUCATIONAL CONTENT AND RESOURCES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO COLLEAGUES VIA A NEW DEI INTRANET SITE THAT LAUNCHED IN FEBRUARY 2022. AT LVH-HAZLETON, THE PATIENT ACCESS TEAM HAS IMPLEMENTED AN EFFORT TO ENSURE THE STAFF REFLECT AND ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE POPULATIONS THEY SERVE. AS THE DIRECTOR OF PATIENT ACCESS RELAYED: ""AS I SAW CHANGES WITHIN THE HAZLETON AREA, I KNEW I HAD TO CHANGE THE WAY I RECRUITED COLLEAGUES TO JOIN MY TEAM. LANGUAGE BARRIERS WERE PRESENT AND PATIENTS AT TIMES WERE UNCOMFORTABLE USING TRANSLATION IPADS. HIRING BILINGUAL STAFF ELIMINATED THE ANXIETY OF PATIENTS WONDERING IF WE UNDERSTOOD THEIR HEALTH CARE NEEDS AS IT DEVELOPED A LEVEL OF COMFORT AND TRUST THAT IS NOT EASILY PRESENT USING TECHNOLOGY. OUR PATIENT INTERACTIONS BECAME MORE PERSONAL. THE PATIENT ACCESS TEAM CONTINUES TO STRIVE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR PATIENTS BY DELIVERING EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ADAPTING TO PATIENTS DAILY."" WITHIN PATIENT ACCESS, 37% OF THE HOSPITAL REGISTRATION STAFF AND 38% OF THE REGISTRATION STAFF AT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER ARE BILINGUAL.WITH LVHN LEADERSHIP'S INCREASED STRATEGIC FOCUS ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE NETWORK, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO INCREASE RESOURCES IN SUPPORT OF THIS IMPORTANT WORK. ON MARCH 8, 2021, A DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI) PROJECT MANAGER COLLEAGUE WAS BROUGHT ON STAFF. THIS IMPORTANT ROLE SUPPORTS NETWORK INITIATIVES INCLUDING THE ACTIONS AGAINST RACISM AND ADVANCING EQUITY COUNCIL, CULTURAL AWARENESS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL AND THE LGBTQ PATIENT AND FAMILY CARE EXPERIENCE PROJECT TEAM."

PART V, SECTION B, LINE 11 (CONTINUATION B)
"PRIORITY AREA: SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTHSOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH ARE AT THE HEART OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORK AT LVHN. DURING THE PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION PROCESS, LVHN RECEIVED COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT CONFIRMED THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING SOCIAL DETERMINANTS BOTH DIRECTLY AND THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL DETERMINANTS THAT REQUIRE MULTIPLE AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TOGETHER IN A COORDINATED MANNER ARE HOUSING AND FOOD INSECURITY. BOTH WERE HIGHLIGHTED DURING COMMUNITY FOCUS GROUPS. IN ALL COUNTIES LVHN SERVES;AN AVERAGE OF 20% OF THE POPULATIONS ARE AT RISK FOR FOOD INSECURITY. AT LEAST A QUARTER OF THE POPULATION SPENDS MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING.LVHN CHNA EXECUTIVE TEAMS RECOGNIZED THE MAGNITUDE OF HOUSING AND FOOD INSECURITY ISSUES, BUT ALSO WERE LESS CERTAIN ABOUT HEALTHCARE'S ABILITY TO HAVE AN IMPACT IN THIS AREA, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE THESE ARE NOT ISSUES THAT HEALTHCARE CAN ADDRESS ALONE. THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIPS IN THIS AREA IS HIGHLIGHTED IN LVHN'S CHNA IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. BELOW ARE BOTH INTERNAL AND CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIP EFFORTS ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.FOOD ACCESS THE FIRST STRATEGY TO ADDRESS SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH OUTLINED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS IMPROVE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD AND REDUCE OBESITY RATES IN OUR COMMUNITIES, THROUGH IN-SCHOOL EDUCATION, PROMOTION OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND COMMUNITIES, AND SUPPORT OF MOBILE MARKET FOOD DISTRIBUTION. WELLER HEALTH EDUCATION AT LEHIGH VALLEY REILLY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL PARTNERS WITH OVER 25 SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE HEALTH NETWORK'S EIGHT-COUNTY SERVICE AREA TO PROVIDE INTERACTIVE RESEARCH-BASED PROGRAMS THAT HELP PREVENT CHRONIC DISEASE AND IMPROVE CHILDREN'S OVERALL HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELL-BEING. ALL PROGRAMS ARE PRESENTED BY SPECIALLY TRAINED HEALTH EDUCATORS WHO ARE EXPERTS AT CONNECTING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND TRANSLATING COMPLEX INFORMATION INTO EASY-TO-UNDERSTAND CONCEPTS. LVHN IS THE ONLY HEALTH SYSTEM IN THE REGION OFFERING THIS TYPE OF PREVENTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.WITH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE CARL E. AND EMILY I. WELLER FOUNDATION, CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION FUNDERS, AND IN-KIND SUPPORT FROM THE LEHIGH VALLEY REILLY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, PROGRAMS ARE PRESENTED FREE TO ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS. OVER 80% OF THE STUDENTS SERVED ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED. NUTRITION AND EXERCISE ACCOUNTED FOR 6% OF THE PROGRAMMING PROVIDED IN THE SCHOOLS IN FY20. IN ADDITION TO ESTABLISHING A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN WELLER AND THE HAZLETON SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR IN-SCHOOL EDUCATION IN FY20, LVH-HAZLETON ALSO PROVIDED EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS THROUGH A PHYSICIAN, ATHLETIC TRAINER, OR OTHER QUALIFIED STAFF MEMBER FROM LVHN AS NEEDED BY THE SCHOOL. LVH-HAZLETON FITNESS STAFF ALSO CONDUCTED TALKS FOR THE HAZLETON AREA CAREER CENTER FOR YOUTH TO SPEAK TO THEM ABOUT POTENTIAL CAREERS IN THE HEALTH AND FITNESS FIELDS. THIS WORK WAS MOSTLY ON PAUSE DURING THE PROGRESSING STAGES OF THE PANDEMIC BUT WILL BE REVISITED.IN FY21, WELLER REACHED 30,000 STUDENTS THROUGH A VARIETY OF IN-PERSON, VIRTUAL AND ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES DESIGNED TO MEET THE VARYING NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS OUR REGION.IN FY22, WELLER REACHED 21,688 STUDENTS THROUGH IN-PERSON AND SYNCHRONOUS VIRTUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES DESIGNED TO MEET THE VARYING NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS OUR REGION. NUTRITION AND EXERCISE ACCOUNTED FOR 8% OF THE PROGRAMMING PROVIDED IN THE SCHOOLS. LVH-HAZLETON STAFF ALSO ENGAGE IN SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION REGARDING NUTRITION AND EXERCISE, SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, LVH-HAZLETON SPONSORS A SEGMENT CALLED ""WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS"" ON LOCAL WYNL TV 35 NEWS, WHERE LVHN PROVIDERS AND STAFF PROVIDE PREVENTATIVE CARE AND OTHER HEALTH-RELATED EDUCATION. IN FY21, LVH-HAZLETON STAFF PROVIDED WELLNESS WEDNESDAY SEGMENTS ABOUT THE FOLLOWING FOOD, NUTRITION, AND EDUCATION TOPICS:- GROUP EXERCISE - BETTER FOOD AND SNACK CHOICES - DIABETES- HEART HEALTHY DIET FOR EVERYONE AGE 2 AND OLDER AHEAD OF HEART MONTH IN FEBRUARY- COVID-19- CHILD DEVELOPMENTIN FY21, LVH-HAZLETON STAFF PARTICIPATED IN HAZLETON CITY'S EASTER CELEBRATION, HANDING OUT BAGS WHICH INCLUDED FRESH FRUIT, CHOOSE MY PLATE DIAGRAMS, AND LISTS OF 25 HEALTHY SNACKS FOR KIDS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. APPROXIMATELY 250 BAGS WERE GIVEN.IN ADDITION, 250 PIECES OF FRESH FRUIT WERE THEN GIVEN TO PEDIATRIC PATIENTS AT THREE LVH-HAZLETON SERVICE LOCATIONS AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENTS, ALONG WITH HEALTHY SNACK LISTS. PROVIDERS ALSO CONTINUE TO GIVE AFTER VISIT SUMMARIES WITH INFORMATION ON HEALTHY EATING AT THE TIME OF A VISIT.AT HAZLETON'S INTEGRATION PROJECT'S ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE, PARENTS AND KIDS COME TO THE LOCAL FACILITY AND TAKE PART IN GAMES, ACTIVITIES, AND EXERCISE DEMONSTRATIONS (LED BY LVH-H FITNESS STAFF). THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND FREE OF CHARGE AND PRIMARILY SERVES THE HISPANIC POPULATION IN HAZLETON.IN FY22, WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, STAFF FROM LVH-HAZELTON DELIVERED FOOD TO THOSE WHO UNABLE TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES, PRESENTED ON CARDIAC CARE AND NUTRITION TO ADULTS AT AN ACTIVE LIFE CENTER, AND COORDINATED WALK-WITH-A-DOC ACTIVITIES WITH A LOCAL PARTNER.PRIORITY AREA: BEHAVIORAL HEALTHONE CONSISTENT AREA OF NEED VOICED BY THE COMMUNITY, IN BOTH THE 2016 AND 2019 LVHN CHNAS, WAS THE NEED TO BETTER ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND MENTAL WELL-BEING IN THE COMMUNITY. ACCORDING TO THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION COUNTY HEALTH RANKINGS, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE MORE THAN 4 ""UNHEALTHY"" MENTAL HEALTH DAYS PER MONTH, ECHOING THE DIRECT FEEDBACK FROM FOCUS GROUPS. THIS NEED WAS DISCUSSED IN ALL FIVE COUNTIES AND THEREFORE WAS MADE A CROSS-CUTTING PRIORITY AREA FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. WITHIN THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PRIORITY AREA, THERE ARE 3 AREAS OF FOCUS: MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND SUICIDE PREVENTION. WHILE PUBLIC DATA AROUND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER IS LACKING, IT WAS A CLEAR CONCERN EXPRESSED COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN FOCUS GROUPS AND INTERVIEWS. LVHN LEADERSHIP BELIEVES THIS IS A HIGH IMPACT AREA OF WORK, BUT WE NEED TO INCREASE CAPACITY IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THESE NEEDS ADEQUATELY. THE SECTIONS BELOW OUTLINE THE APPROACHES BEING IMPLEMENTED IN EACH OF THESE FOCUS AREAS TO ADDRESS THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES LVHN SERVES.MENTAL HEALTHREFERRAL COORDINATIONTHE SECOND STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY IS A CENTRALIZED REFERRAL PROCESS TO OUTPATIENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. IN FY19, LVHN RECEIVED OVER 9,000 REFERRALS FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND WERE ABLE TO SERVE 1 IN 8. IN ORDER TO IMPROVE TREATMENT AND REFERRAL WORKFLOWS FOR PATIENTS, LVHN CREATED A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH REFERRAL SPECIALIST ROLE. THIS ROLE PROVIDES SUPPORT TO PROVIDERS, PRACTICES AND PATIENTS SEEKING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH AND/OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES. SUPPORT BY THIS ROLE IS PROVIDED ON THREE LEVELS: 1. INFORMATION DISSEMINATION AND EDUCATION: PRACTICES RECEIVE RESOURCE INFORMATION TO ENABLE THEM TO MAKE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE REFERRALS FROM THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESOURCES SHAREPOINT DATABASE WITH INFORMATION THAT IS ALWAYS CURRENT AND ACCURATE. IN ADDITION, THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH REFERRAL SPECIALIST HAS BEEN PROVIDING EDUCATION ON HOW TO EFFECTIVELY REFER A PATIENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND/OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES TO THE FOLLOWING: PEDIATRIC PRIMARY CARE, ADULT SPECIALTY PROGRAMS, INPATIENT CASE MANAGEMENT, LVHN LEADERSHIP AND ADDITIONAL OUTSIDE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.2. CONSULTATION TO PROVIDERS SEEKING SERVICES FOR THEIR PATIENTS WHEN THEY ARE UNABLE TO DO SO UTILIZING THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESOURCES SHAREPOINT AND PAST REFERRAL EDUCATION. 3. DIRECT PATIENT CONTACT TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES IF THE FIRST TWO LEVELS OF SERVICE FAIL TO SUPPORT THE PATIENT."

PART V, SECTION B, LINE 11 (CONTINUATION C)
IN FY19, THERE WERE 620 REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH REFERRAL SPECIALIST. IN FY20, DUE TO THE HIGH DEMAND, A NEW PROCESS WAS IMPLEMENTED TO HAVE THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH REFERRAL SPECIALIST MANAGE ALL OUTPATIENT REFERRALS FOR LVHN AFFILIATED PRACTICES. THIS NEW PROCESS WAS MADE TO IMPROVE THE REFERRAL EXPERIENCE FOR THE AFFILIATED PRACTICE PROVIDERS WHILE BETTER ASSISTING PATIENTS WITH CONNECTING TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES. THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALIST HAS BECOME A TEAM OF 5.5 FTE DEDICATED TO MANAGING ALL REFERRALS TO AMBULATORY PSYCHIATRY PRACTICES, WHICH IS NOW CALLED CENTRALIZED INTAKE. THIS SERVICE OFFICIALLY WENT LIVE ON MAY 4, 2020, AND THEY RECEIVE REFERRALS FROM OUTPATIENT PRACTICES FROM ALL LVHN CAMPUSES. IN FY21, CENTRALIZED INTAKE RECEIVED 10,179 REFERRALS. OF THE 10,179 REFERRALS, 6,240 (61%) WERE SCHEDULED WITH LVHN PSYCHIATRY PRACTICES OR PROVIDED WITH A LIST OF EXTERNAL PROVIDERS WITH THE OPTION TO CALL BACK FOR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE IF UNABLE TO CONNECT WITH A PROVIDER. IN FY22, CENTRALIZED INTAKE RECEIVED 10,922 REFERRALS. OF THE 10,922 REFERRALS, 7,440 (68%) WERE SCHEDULED WITH LVHN PSYCHIATRY PRACTICES OR PROVIDED WITH A LIST OF EXTERNAL PROVIDERS WITH THE OPTION TO CALL BACK FOR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE IF UNABLE TO CONNECT WITH A PROVIDER. INNOVATIONTHE THIRD STRATEGY LVHN HAS COMMITTED TO IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY IS INNOVATION THROUGH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE TELE-PSYCHIATRY, TELE-THERAPY, AN APP DEPLOYMENT, AND ECONSULTS. THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TELE-PSYCHIATRY AND THERAPY SERVICES WAS UNDERWAY AT THE START OF FY20. WITH THE ONSET OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE SCALE AND REACH OF THESE SERVICES INCREASED RAPIDLY AND DRAMATICALLY. OUTPATIENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH VIRTUAL VISITS INCREASED FROM 2% BEFORE COVID-19 TO 98% SOON AFTER THE START OF THE PANDEMIC. IN FY21 THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY COMPLETED NEARLY 45,000 VIRTUAL VISITS. IN FY22, 591 TELE-PRIMARY CARE CONSULTS AND 254 ECONSULTS WERE COMPLETED.AT LVH-HAZELTON, THEY OPENED THE ED ON MARCH 2, 2020, THAT INCLUDED A 5 BED LOCKED BH UNIT IN THE ED AND TWO TRANSITIONAL BEDS. CURRENTLY ASSESSMENTS ARE BEING DONE IN PERSON OR BY PHONE BY A PSYCHIATRIST. THE AIM IS TO PROVIDE TELE-PSYCH SERVICES IN THE FUTURE GIVEN THE SPACE HAS BEEN THIS CAPABILITY. NORTHEAST COUNSELING SENDS ONE OF THEIR CRISIS PROFESSIONALS TO THE ED TO DO THE ASSESSMENT AND DETERMINE IF THE PATIENT NEEDS TO BE ADMITTED AS AN INPATIENT, SEEN BY A PSYCHIATRIST, OR SENT HOME AND REFERRED TO SERVICES. THERE WERE STAFFING ISSUES AT THE BEGINNING THAT LIMITED THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS SEEN WITHIN THIS BH UNIT, BUT THERE WERE ABLE TO TREAT 25 PATIENTS IN FY20 (BETWEEN MARCH 2020 WHEN IT OPENED AND JUNE 30, 2020). THIS NUMBER GREW TO A STEADY AVERAGE OF 10 PATIENTS PER MONTH THROUGH FY21. IN FY22, PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION SERVICES CONTINUED TO SUPPORT LVH-HAZELTON ED WITH PSYCHIATRIST COVERAGE FOR 303 MENTAL HEALTH COMMITMENT HEARINGS.SUBSTANCE ABUSELVHN HAS ADOPTED A 4-PRONGED APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE EPIDEMIC IN THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE:1. STIGMA REDUCTION BY PROVIDING EDUCATION AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS TO THE COMMUNITY TO REDUCE THE STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND ADDICTION.2. OPIOID STEWARDSHIP BY PROVIDING EDUCATION TO FRONT-LINE STAFF (E.G., PROVIDERS, NURSES) TO MINIMIZE OPIOID PRESCRIBING, PROMOTE SAFETY MEASURES TO MINIMIZE ADDICTION TO OPIOIDS, AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF TOOLS AVAILABLE.3. LINKAGE TO TREATMENT BY REDUCING THE BARRIERS BETWEEN A PATIENT WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE OR ADDICTION AND THEIR ACCESS TO TREATMENT OPTIONS.4. HARM REDUCTION BY REDUCING THE LIKELIHOOD THAT HARM WILL COME TO THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION.ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT EFFORTS FOR EACH OF THE ELEMENTS OF LVHN'S 4-PRONGED APPROACH IS OUTLINED BELOW. OPIOID STEWARDSHIPIN ADDITION TO PRESENTING AND HOSTING DISCUSSION IN THE COMMUNITY, LVHN COLLEAGUES ENGAGED IN SIGNIFICANT EDUCATION TO 340 PROVIDERS AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS TO EMPOWER PROVIDERS AS KNOWLEDGEABLE STEWARDS OF THE SIGNS AND IMPACTS OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. IN FY22, STAFF EDUCATION ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND OPIOID-RELATED ISSUES WAS PROVIDED TO STAFF IN PSYCHIATRY, SURGERY, FAMILY MEDICINE, NEUROLOGY, AND INTERNAL MEDICINE.IN ADDITION, IN FY21, THE FOLLOWING TACTICS WERE DEPLOYED:A 2-HOUR LEARNING MODULE WAS DEVELOPED AND DISSEMINATED TO ALL LVHN PROVIDERS DURING FY21 TO ENSURE ADEQUATE EDUCATION AROUND OPIOID STEWARDSHIP AND LINKAGE TO TREATMENT, AND TO FULFILL LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PA STATE MEDICAL BOARD.THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY OPIOID REVIEW COMMITTEE WAS IMPLEMENTED TO REVIEW OPIOID STEWARDSHIP CASES OF CONCERN AND TO PROVIDE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION TO PROVIDERS.REVISIONS WERE MADE TO THE STANDARDIZED DISCHARGE OPIOID WEANING PROTOCOLS FOR THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT (ED) AND INPATIENT SETTINGS TO INCREASE MEDICATION OPTIONS AND DURATION OF WEANING PROTOCOLS. NON-OPIOID PAIN MODALITY INITIATIVES WERE IMPLEMENTED INCLUDING:-ED BACK PAIN PROTOCOL IN COLLABORATION WITH PT-DEVELOPMENT OF A NON-OPIOID PAIN MANAGEMENT ORDER SET WITH PT/OT INTERVENTIONS-IMPLEMENTATION OF AN OT-LED AROMATHERAPY FOR PAIN PROTOCOL WITHIN THE ED OBSERVATION UNIT CLINICIANS ACROSS MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES WERE TRAINED IN NON-OPIOID PAIN MANAGEMENT MODALITIES INCLUDING EMPOWERED RELIEF AND EXPLAIN PAIN.BUILDING ON THE WORK OF PAST YEARS, THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES WERE COMPLETED IN FY22: THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY OPIOID REVIEW COMMITTEE FURTHER EVOLVED TO REVIEW OPIOID STEWARDSHIP CASES OF CONCERN AND TO PROVIDE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION TO PROVIDERS.ALTERNATIVES TO OPIOID (ALTO) PAIN MODALITY INITIATIVES CONTINUED INCLUDING:-ONGOING IMPLEMENTATION OF AN OT-LED AROMATHERAPY FOR PAIN PROTOCOL WITHIN THE ED OBSERVATION UNIT -IMPLEMENTATION OF AN OMM & ACUPUNCTURE REFERRAL PROCESS WITHIN LVPG PRIMARY CARE, -DOEHM US TEAM PROVIDED FASCIA ILIACA NERVE BLOCK TRAINING OFFERED TO FACULTY AND RESIDENTS DURING 2 SESSIONS IN 2021-2022. FLEMING FUNDS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH CHAIR FUNDS WERE USED TO TRAIN CLINICIANS ACROSS MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES IN NON-OPIOID PAIN MANAGEMENT MODALITIES INCLUDING EMPOWERED RELIEF AND EXPLAIN PAIN, AS WELL AS MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING AND PEER SUPPORT TRAINING.RELEASED A REVISED OPIOID PRESCRIBING DASHBOARD WHICH BETTER ADDRESSED TRACKING OF COMPLIANCE WITH OPIOID TREATMENT AGREEMENTS. IN APRIL 2022, ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES FOR OPIOID TREATMENT AGREEMENTS HAD GO-LIVE.IN FY20, THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY ALSO CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF LEADERS AND STAFF ABOUT BIASES AROUND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND PREPAREDNESS FOR TREATING PATIENTS WITH CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. LEADERS (N=7) IN PSYCHIATRY REPORTED:A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL TRAINING AROUND HOW TO BEST MANAGE PATIENTS WITH CO-OCCURRING DISORDERSA LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT BEST PRACTICESAN OPPORTUNITY FOR BETTER COORDINATION WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT AGENCIES AMONG THE 86 DOCTORS, CASE MANAGERS, AND THERAPISTS THAT COMPLETED THE SURVEY, THEY FELT THAT THEIR TRAINING AND EDUCATION AROUND HOW TO ADDRESS CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS WAS PRETTY GOOD AND THEY FELT THEY WERE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF PATIENTS WITH CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS. HOWEVER, THERE IS STILL ROOM FOR ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AROUND BEST PRACTICES AND FOR BETTER COORDINATION WITH SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT PROVIDERS.LINKAGE TO TREATMENTWARM HAND-OFFS (WHO) IN THE LVH-HAZLETON EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT ARE COMPLETED THROUGH A CONTRACTED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDER, NORTHEAST COUNSELING SERVICES. A TOTAL OF 119 PATIENTS RECEIVED A WHO AT LVH-HAZLETON IN FY21, UP FROM 35 IN FY20 (LAUNCHED MID-FISCAL YEAR). THE PLATFORM FOR TRACKING PROGRAM STATISTICS IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT REGULAR METRICS ARE NOW ABLE TO BE TRACKED AND REPORTED. IN FY22, LVHN CONTINUED TO COLLABORATE WITH THE COUNTY DRUG AND ALCOHOL AUTHORITIES IN LEHIGH, NORTHAMPTON, SCHUYLKILL, LUZERNE, AND CARBON/MONROE/PIKE COUNTIES TO DELIVER WARM HAND OFF SERVICES IN BOTH THE ED AND INPATIENT SETTINGS AT ALL LVHN SITES. IN FY22, THERE WERE 143 WARM HAND-OFFS AT LVH-HAZLETON.IN JANUARY OF 2022, LVHN LEADERS MET WITH HAZLETON AREA LVPG PROVIDERS TO INTRODUCE THE CONCEPT OF INCORPORATING MAT INTO PRIMARY CARE. THE SESSION WAS ALSO ATTENDED BY LVPG PROVIDER LIAISON. HARM REDUCTIONIN THE PAST FEW YEARS, LVH-LEHIGH VALLEY HAS INCREASED ITS ACTIVITIES RELATED TO HARM REDUCTION. TAKE-HOME NALOXONE WAS PROVIDED AT NO COST TO PATIENTS FROM ALL NETWORK EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS (ED) AS WELL AS LEHIGH VALLEY PHARMACY SERVICES LOCATIONS WHERE A PATIENT WITH A NALOXONE PRESCRIPTION IS UNINSURED OR UNDER-INSURED.LVHN MARKETING AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, IN COLLABORATION WITH LEHIGH COUNTY, HAS FUNDED THE PURCHASE OF 4000 MEDICATION DISPOSAL KITS.

PART I, LINE 6A:
THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT REPORT IS ISSUED BY LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK - EIN #22-2458317, THE PARENT COMPANY OF LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL-HAZLETON.

PART I, LINE 7:
THE COSTING METHODOLOGY IS COST TO CHARGE RATIO FOR PROGRAMS WITH GROSS CHARGES AND DIRECT COSTS FOR PROGRAMS WITHOUT GROSS CHARGES.

PART I, LINE 7G:
THE SUBSIDIZED HEALTH SERVICES AMOUNT OF $3,617,695 IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PAYMENTS AND COSTS FOR ANESTHESIA SERVICES, TELEMEDICINE, AND HOSPITALIST SERVICES. THESE SERVICE EXPENSES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE SHORTFALL OR UNCOMPENSATED CARE VALUES REPORTED ABOVE.

PART I, LINE 7, COLUMN (F):
THE BAD DEBT EXPENSE INCLUDED ON FORM 990, PART IX, LINE 25, COLUMN (A), BUT SUBTRACTED FOR PURPOSES OF CALCULATING THE PERCENTAGE IN THIS COLUMN IS $ 6,851,441.

PART III, LINE 2:
PATIENT ACCOUNTS WRITTEN OFF AS BAD DEBT ARE IDENTIFIED. THE COST TO PROVIDE CARE TO THESE PATIENTS IS CALCULATED BY MULTIPLYING THE TOTAL CHARGES WRITTEN OFF AS BAD DEBT BY THE COST TO CHARGE RATIO.

PART III, LINE 3:
THIS AMOUNT IS THE COST TO PROVIDE CARE TO UNINSURED PATIENTS THAT DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS TO DETERMINE IF THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THE COST IS DETERMINED USING COST TO CHARGE RATIOS. THE RATIONALE FOR INCLUDING THE COST TO PROVIDE CARE TO UNINSURED PATIENTS THAT DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROCESS IS THE HOSPITAL'S EXPERIENCE WITH UNINSURED PATIENTS THAT DO PARTICIPATE IN THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. WHEN THE HOSPITAL EVALUATES UNINSURED PATIENTS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, THE MOST COMMON FINDING IS THAT UNINSURED PATIENTS HAVE INCOME LESS THAN 400% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINE AND QUALIFY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THE HOSPITAL BELIEVES THAT UNINSURED PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROCESS AND HAVE THEIR ACCOUNTS WRITTEN OFF AS BAD DEBT, HAVE INCOME THAT WOULD QUALIFY FOR THE HOSPITAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

PART III, LINE 4:
THE ORGANIZATION ESTIMATES AN IMPLICIT PRICE CONCESSION RELATED TO UNINSURED ACCOUNTS, NET OF THE AGB (AMOUNTS GENERALLY BILLED) DISCOUNT, TO RECORD THE NET SELF-PAY ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE AT THE ESTIMATED AMOUNTS THE ORGANIZATION EXPECTS TO COLLECT. COINSURANCES AND DEDUCTIBLES WITHIN THE THIRD-PARTY PAYER AGREEMENTS ARE THE PATIENT'S RESPONSIBILITY SO THE ORGANIZATION INCLUDES THESE AMOUNTS IN THE SELF-PAY ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE AND CONSIDERS THESE AMOUNTS IN ITS DETERMINATION OF THE PROVISION FOR UNCOLLECTIBLE DEBTS BASED ON HISTORICAL COLLECTION EXPERIENCE. FOR THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 2022, AND 2021, RESPECTIVELY, LVH-HAZLETON RECORDED A PROVISION FOR IMPLICIT PRICE CONCESSIONS OF $6,674,221 AND $8,633,471 AS A DIRECT REDUCTION TO PATIENT SERVICES REVENUES.IN INSTANCES WHERE THE ORGANIZATION BELIEVES A PATIENT HAS THE ABILITY TO PAY FOR SERVICES AND, AFTER APPROPRIATE COLLECTION EFFORTS, PAYMENT IS NOT MADE, THE UNPAID PORTION OF THE ACCOUNT BALANCE IS WRITTEN-OFF TO THE PROVISION FOR BAD DEBTS. AMOUNTS RECORDED AS PROVISION FOR BAD DEBTS DO NOT INCLUDE CHARITY CARE.

PART III, LINE 8:
THE SOURCE OF THE MEDICARE ALLOWABLE COSTS RELATING TO REVENUE RECEIVED FROM MEDICARE IS THE FY2022 MEDICARE COST REPORT. THE ENTIRE SHORTFALL ON LINE 7 SHOULD BE TREATED AS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT. THE REVENUE AND EXPENSES ARE BOTH DETERMINED USING MEDICARE PRINCIPLES.

PART III, LINE 9B:
FINANCIAL COUNSELING STAFF WILL DETERMINE WHETHER PATIENTS MEET ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. ACCOUNTS THAT DO NOT MEET THE ELIGIBLILTY REQUIREMENTS WILL BE REFERRED TO AN EXTERNAL RECEIVABLES FOLLOW UP AGENCY, AND IF NOT PAID, REFERRED TO A COLLECTION AGENCY AND SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSFERRED TO BAD DEBT STATUS IF THE ACCOUNTS REMAIN UNPAID.

PART VI, LINE 2:
AS PART OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, STARTING IN 2013, ALL NON-PROFIT HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS ARE REQUIRED TO CONDUCT A COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT (CHNA) EVERY THREE YEARS. THE CHNA REPORT EXAMINES THE FACTORS THAT IMPACT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF ALL THE PEOPLE IN A PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHIC AREA. BEYOND ITS REGULATORY FUNCTION, THE CHNA IS AN IMPORTANT OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATE OF HEALTH IN OUR REGION AND IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL AREAS OF CONCERN WHICH INFORMS LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK'S (LVHN) POPULATION HEALTH MANAGEMENT EFFORTS. LVHN'S CHNA INCLUDES A HEALTH PROFILE, A REPORT THAT LOOKS AT ALL THE FACTORS THAT GO INTO MAKING PEOPLE IN A PARTICULAR AREA HEALTHY. THIS INCLUDES SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS LIKE EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND AIR QUALITY, INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIORS LIKE SMOKING OR HEALTHY EATING, AND THE QUALITY AND AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH CARE IN THEIR AREA. THIS INTRODUCTION PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE 2022 CHNA HEALTH PROFILE AND LVHN'S CHNA PROCESS. THE 2022 HEALTH PROFILE COMBINES DATA AND INFORMATION FROM LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL SOURCES ABOUT DISEASE, THE ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL FACTORS, AND INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIORS, WITH IDEAS, STORIES, AND EXPERIENCES FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LEADERS FROM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTIES SERVED BY LVHN. THE SECOND COMPONENT OF THE LVHN'S CHNA INCLUDES AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, WHICH OUTLINES OUR PLAN TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS IDENTIFIED IN THE HEALTH PROFILE OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT THREE YEARS. THE 2022 CHNA HEALTH PROFILES AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ARE PROVIDED AT WWW.LVHN.ORG/CHNA.THE 2022 LVHN CHNA HEALTH PROFILE IS BROKEN OUT INTO THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS: DEMOGRAPHICS, INCOME AND ECONOMICS, EDUCATION, HOUSING AND FAMILIES, OTHER SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS, PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, CLINICAL CARE AND PREVENTION, HEALTH BEHAVIORS, HEALTH OUTCOMES, AND SPECIAL TOPICS - COVID-19. TO INCREASE THE READABILITY OF THE REPORT, THE COMMUNITY WILL FIND TWO TYPES OF CALL-OUT BOXES THROUGHOUT THE CHNA HEALTH PROFILES. THE FIRST TYPE SUMMARIZES SOME OF THE DATA PRESENTED ON THAT PAGE, PROVIDING EASY-TO-READ, SUMMARY STATEMENTS OF IMPORTANT DATA ABOUT THE COMMUNITY. THE SECOND TYPE PROVIDES INFORMATION FROM THE INTERVIEWS AND COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS. THESE REPORTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY LVHN'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD.VISIT WWW.LVHN.ORG/CHNA TO VIEW THE SIGNIFICANT NEEDS IDENTIFIED IN OUR MOST RECENTLY CONDUCTED CHNA AND HOW WE ARE ADDRESSING THOSE NEEDS.

PART VI, LINE 5:
LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL-HAZLETON QUALIFIES AS AN INSTITUTE OF PURELY PUBLIC CHARITY IN PENNSYLVANIA. THIS REGULATION IS REFERRED TO AS ACT 55. TO BE CONSIDERED A PURELY PUBLIC CHARITY, NONPROFITS MUST:(1) ADVANCE A CHARITABLE PURPOSE;(2) DONATE OR RENDER GRATUITOUSLY A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF ITS SERVICES;(3) BENEFIT A SUBSTANTIAL AND INDEFINITE CLASS OF PERSONS WHO ARE LEGITIMATE SUBJECTS OF CHARITY;(4) RELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT OF SOME BURDEN; AND(5) OPERATE ENTIRELY FREE FROM PRIVATE PROFIT MOTIVE.LVH-H IS REQUIRED TO REAPPLY FOR THIS CHARITABLE STATUS EVERY FIVE YEARS AND CURRENTLY QUALIFIES THROUGH JULY 31, 2023.

PART VI, LINE 3:
CONSISTENT WITH THE MISSION AND VALUES OF LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK, IT IS THE POLICY TO PROVIDE MEDICAL CARE TO ALL INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT REGARD TO THEIR ABILITY TO PAY FOR SERVICES. THE PATIENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM APPLIES TO UNINSURED AND UNDER-INSURED INDIVIDUALS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS TO EVALUATE THEIR ABILITY TO PAY FOR LVH-H SERVICES.THE FINANCIAL COUNSELORS HELP PATIENTS COMPLETE THE APPLICATION FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. LVH-H FOLLOWS THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES TO EVALUATE ELIGIBILITY. PATIENTS WHOSE FAMILY INCOME FALLS BELOW 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINE WILL HAVE THEIR ENTIRE BALANCE FORGIVEN FOR THEIR QUALIFYING SERVICES AT LVH-H. PATIENTS WITH A FAMILY INCOME BELOW 400% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES WILL HAVE A PORTION OF THEIR BALANCE FORGIVEN FOR QUALIFYING SERVICES AT LVH-H.PATIENTS OFTEN EXPRESS FINANCIAL CONCERN OR NEED BY CONTACTING LVH-H PATIENT FINANCIAL COUNSELING DEPARTMENT. THE COUNSELOR EXPLAINS THE AVAILABLE PROGRAMS, SUCH AS PENNSYLVANIA MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, CHIP, THE FEDERAL INSURANCE EXCHANGE AND PATIENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.PATIENTS WILL BE REFERRED TO THE FINANCIAL COUNSELORS WHO WORK WITH UNINSURED AND UNDER-INSURED PATIENTS TO APPLY FOR PENNSYLVANIA MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. THE FINANCIAL COUNSELORS ARE LOCATED ONSITE. THE FINANCIAL COUNSELORS VISIT INPATIENTS IN THEIR ROOMS AND OUTPATIENTS IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT (ED).INFORMATION REGARDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS PROVIDED TO PATIENTS VIA SIGNAGE IN THE REGISTRATION AREAS AS WELL AS THE ED WAITING ROOM. ALSO, WHEN THE FINANCIAL COUNSELORS ASSIST PATIENTS IN COMPLETING A MEDICAL ASSISTANCE UNINSURED AND UNDER-INSURED APPLICATION, THEY ALSO INFORM THE PATIENT ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, LVH-H ADVERTISES OUR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ON OUR PUBLIC WEBSITE, AS WELL AS ON ALL BILLING STATEMENTS SENT TO OUT PATIENTS.

PART VI, LINE 4:
THE PRIMARY SERVICE AREA OF LVH-HAZLETON IS LUZERNE COUNTY. THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU DATA FOR THE 2020 CENSUS INDICATES THE PRIMARY SERVICE AREA POPULATION WAS APPROXIMATELY 325,924. DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR 2021, 79.3% OF THE DISCHARGES FROM LVH-HAZLETON WERE RESIDENTS OF THE PRIMARY SERVICE AREA. ACCORDING TO 2021 U.S. CENSUS BUREAU ESTIMATES, THE PRIMARY SERVICE AREA POPULATION IS 326,053. THE 2020 POPULATION OF THE SECONDARY SERVICE AREA WAS APPROXIMATELY 207,798. DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR 2021, ABOUT 20.2% OF THE DISCHARGES FROM LVH-HAZLETON WERE RESIDENTS OF THE SECONDARY SERVICE AREA, CARBON, AND SCHUYLKILL COUNTIES. THE ESTIMATED 2021 U.S. CENSUS BUREAU ACS POPULATION OF THE SECONDARY SERVICE AREA IS 208,676. DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR 2021, 0.5% OF THE DISCHARGES FROM LVH-HAZLETON WERE RESIDENTS OUTSIDE THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SERVICE AREAS. BASED ON PROPRIETARY DATA ESTIMATES (SCANUS), THE PRIMARY SERVICE AREA'S CURRENT POPULATION PROJECTION IS A DECREASE OF .02% BY 2027.