Main Navigation

Annual Reports on Quality

Ninth Annual Report on Quality

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

This year’s Annual Report on Quality puts community health front and center. In these pages, you’ll read how we at Crozer-Keystone Health System measure the health status of Delaware County residents on a regular basis, how we collaborate with community partners to address areas of need, and how much progress we’ve made in achieving the national disease-prevention and health-promotion objectives known as Healthy People 2010.

As Dr. Jocelyn Elders advocates in this report, and as Healthy People 2010 maps out, CKHS continually seeks to eliminate disparities in health among segments of the population. We embrace the national goal to increase the quality and years of healthy life for everyone. Our approach spans the continuum of quality health services, from wellness and health promotion to acute and long-term care to rehabilitation and restorative care.

Shortly after the creation of CKHS, in 1990, we began to systematically study the health of Delaware County residents. This has evolved into a biennial Community Needs Assessment, surveying health risk indicators that have been identified as priorities within the county.

The areas monitored are ones that reflect major public health concerns; address disparities in health status; have recognized, professionally accepted preventive interventions; can be measured by available data; and support clinical initiatives in targeted areas. The latest available data on these indicators is presented in Section II: Community Health Programming.

In this annual report, we also provide an update on our evidence-based medicine (EBM) initiatives. We began formally integrating the principles of EBM into the CKHS culture in 2001 as a way to address two perceived problems in clinical care: wide variation in practice among physicians, and the apparent gap between newly emerging medical evidence and clinical decision making. In Section III, we present updates and longitudinal data for the six EBM projects reviewed in last year’s Eighth Annual Report on Quality. Additionally, two new projects are introduced regarding clinical guidelines and best practices for treating pediatric asthma and stroke.

It is appropriate that we include both community health and EBM within the same annual report as the two subjects take a common approach. The methodology underlying each comes from a systematic effort to survey existing conditions, identify problem areas, define corrective actions and programs, evaluate programming impact, and make necessary changes. The outcomes of both support our mission to improve the health status of those we serve, deploying our resources in a cost-effective and community-responsive manner.

Delaware County has a unique and changing demographic profile, and we continue to adjust our outreach efforts to be responsive to community needs. According to the Delaware County Planning Department, the latest census statistics reveal that while the total population was essentially unchanged within the county between 1990 and 2000, racial and ethnic diversification increased. The African American population grew by an estimated 29 percent to nearly 80,000, and the Asian and Pacific Islander population increased by 81 percent to more than 18,000.

Upper Darby Township, in particular, has seen a significant influx of Asians and West Africans, and the number of immigrant school-age children has grown dramatically, now accounting for 8 percent or 800 students. In the halls of Upper Darby High School—one of the largest in the region—several dozen languages can be heard.

Providing healthcare services in such a diverse environment can be challenging, encompassing a greater need for translators, addressing disparities, ensuring accessibility to health services, and understanding cultural issues. Some of the ways in which CKHS deals with issues of diversity include such community health programs, services, and collaborations as Congregational Nursing Outreach, the Cultural Connections Collaborative, Healthy Start, the Wellness Center, Community Health Education, and Women’s HeartAdvantage. Additionally, translation services are provided in a range of languages, with Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, and Greek being the most utilized over the past five years. Information about CKHS community programs also is provided online in Hindi, Korean, Laotian, Punjabi, and Vietnamese.

As we assess our progress in achieving the Healthy People 2010 goals, we can feel good about the overall health status of county residents. There has been positive change in the numbers of people living healthier lifestyles and making greater use of preventive care services. Further, advances in medicine continue to produce better outcomes for patients.

Even with all the progress we’ve made, major challenges remain. Too many are overweight, obese, or remain physically inactive—risk factors for acute and chronic diseases that plague individuals of every age, gender, and ethnic group. Too many continue to smoke cigarettes—the single most preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. Not enough women get early prenatal care or immunizations for their infants and young children.

At CKHS, we continue to proactively promote wellness and healthy lifestyles. There are numerous areas where education, screenings, prevention, and early intervention are needed to minimize risk factors and improve health.

We know that our progress in achieving a healthier community is profoundly affected by the collective beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of everyone who lives here. It is therefore a shared responsibility that requires the active participation and leadership of government officials, business executives, educators, community leaders, and members of the general public. It is only through ongoing community partnerships that we can effect real and lasting change, improving the health status of those we serve.

The data and programming updates presented in this Ninth Annual Report on Quality are but a snapshot in time. Our work continues unabated. We remain focused on providing the highest quality of medical care and acting decisively to prevent disease. At the same time, we are committed to partnering with the community in educating and encouraging healthy choices for everyone…for life.

Gerald Miller
President and Chief Executive Officer
Crozer-Keystone Health System

Joan K. Richards
Chief Operating Officer
Crozer-Keystone Health System
President, CKHS Hospitals

Joseph R. Stock, M.D.
Co-Chairman, Quality of Care Committee
Crozer-Keystone Health System

Arthur Baker, M.D.
Co-Chairman, Quality of Care Committee
Crozer-Keystone Health System