Description

This article makes the economic case for how hospitals can partner with other agencies (community based organizations, community development sector, public health agencies) to improve health. While there are some new reimbursement incentives for hospitals to achieve better health outcomes for specific populations, hospital administrators may wonder if these adequately address the higher costs incurred for serving high-need/high-cost populations. Partnerships with public health agencies and the community development sector as well as the involvement of communities themselves can help make the community benefit investments by hospital systems more effective.