Lake Regional Hospital Identifies Core Issues For Healthcare At The Lake

Lake Regional Hospital is sharing what they believe are the health needs for the Lake Area, heading into the New Year.

In a release, officials say that mental health, access to health care, and a lack of insurance or ability to pay are the top community health priorities.

The research stems from a 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment produced by Lake Regional Health System and collaborating community partners.

The assessment is completed every three years and covers Camden, Laclede, Miller and Morgan counties.

To gather the health data for the report, Lake Regional invited to take a health needs survey, which garnered responses from 724 individuals.

In addition, Lake Regional staff used secondary sources to compile demographic, socioeconomic and health data for each of the four included counties.

***Full report

Lake Regional Publishes 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. — Mental health, access to health care, and a lack of insurance or ability to pay are the top community health priorities for the lake area, according to the 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment produced by Lake Regional Health System and collaborating community partners.

The assessment is completed every three years and covers Camden, Laclede, Miller and Morgan counties.

“The goal of this assessment is to take a comprehensive look at factors affecting the health of our community so we can better meet local health needs,” said Stacie Ling, CPTM, LSSBB, director of Human Resources. “It will serve as the basis for prioritizing the community’s health needs and as a planning resource for meeting those needs.”

To gather the health data for the report, Lake Regional invited residents of Camden, Laclede, Miller and Morgan counties to take a health needs survey, which garnered responses from 724 individuals. In addition, Lake Regional staff used secondary sources to compile demographic, socioeconomic and health data for each of the four included counties.

Lake Regional’s Community Benefit Committee met in August 2021 to review the data collected. The committee included a multidisciplinary group of Lake Regional employees and representatives from Camden County Health Department, Central Ozarks Medical Center, Miller County Health Department, Laclede County Health Department and Morgan County Health Department. Common themes were identified, scored and weighted to reveal the top community health priorities. Leading the list were mental health, access to health care, and a lack of insurance or ability to pay.

Throughout the next three years, Lake Regional will align community outreach activities to address these issues while partnering with community organizations, including public health agencies.

The report and implementation plan are available online at lakeregional.com/reports. To request a copy, email info@lakeregional.com or call Lake Regional Public Relations at 573-348-8222.

Lake Regional Health System provides comprehensive health care services to residents and visitors throughout the mid-Missouri region. The hospital is a Level II Stroke Center, Level II STEMI (heart attack) Center and Level III Trauma Center. Lake Regional also provides a wide range of specialties, including cancer care, heart care, orthopedics and women’s health. Plus, Lake Regional operates primary care clinics, Express Care clinics, rehab therapy clinics, programs for home health and hospice, and retail pharmacies. To learn more, visit lakeregional.com.