Valley View City Council offers preview of community health survey results and recent affordability and coverage initiatives

Valley View hosted a virtual town hall on Tuesday, inviting residents to learn about the hospital’s latest and upcoming initiatives.

The meeting focused on an overview of the organization’s progress, a discussion of preliminary results from the 2024 Valley View Community Health Needs Assessment, and live comments from community members present at the webinar.

The webinar had approximately 34 participants and Spanish translation was provided for those who requested it.

Valley View’s last community health needs assessment was conducted in 2021, and the most recent will be released in December 2024. Stacey Gavrell, Valley View’s director of community relations, shared that the hospital’s focus since 2021 has been primarily on two main goals: improving coverage and total cost of care, and addressing the mental and behavioral health needs of the community.

“That’s what you, as a community, told us is a need and an opportunity that Valley View needs to address,” Gavrell said.

Improving coverage and total cost of care

Valley View’s progress toward meeting its goal of improving coverage and cost of care has involved “improving coverage for vulnerable populations.” Gavrell said Valley View has worked to promote its financial assistance program that helps families up to 500% of the Federal Poverty Level. In 2024, 500% of the Federal Poverty Level For a family of four, an annual salary of $156,000 was identified.

Rob Nelson, executive director of quality and safety, said Valley View delivered more than $24 million in charity care (i.e., free or discounted health services) to the community in 2022.

Valley View has the largest primary care network in the region, which they have accomplished by collaborating with several health partners in the valley. Nelson described their reach as “comprehensive primary care services,” including their inpatient crisis team, work with the Aspen Hope Center, and their diabetes programming through their cardiopulmonary rehabilitation center.

This promotion extends to after-hours care as an option for residents seeking walk-in care for non-emergency cases, which can be provided at a lower cost compared to visiting the emergency room. These visits can sometimes be accessed remotely thanks to Valley View’s telehealth opportunities.

“We recognize that living in a rural area, we have geographic challenges and mobility barriers in transportation, so we look to optimize our telehealth opportunities,” Nelson said. “That can be a patient at home or even after hours connecting to a video call with a provider.”

Addressing the mental and behavioral health needs of the community.

One strategy Valley View identified to improve the integration of physical and behavioral health care is screening patients for postpartum depression and anxiety, a phenomenon that has gained widespread awareness in recent years. Valley View said it refers positive screens for follow-ups.

“We do multiple tests on every pregnant patient,” Nelson said.

The hospital has also invested in hiring two psychiatric nurses, which Gavrell said is a service that operates at a loss.

“The intention to ensure that our community has access to psychiatric care is something that drives us to do our mission,” she said.

Additional efforts include optimizing the use of non-opioid medications first and implementing programs for staff to familiarize them with warning signs of suicide risk.

“We know this is a disease that is affecting western Colorado at a higher rate than the state average, and Colorado at a higher rate than the national average,” Nelson said. “We take this very seriously.”

Community Health Needs Assessment 2024

Valley View Hospital conducted its Community Health Survey in early July, inviting the community to provide feedback on its program planning, services and facilities.

The results inform the hospital’s Community Health Needs Assessment, a needs assessment conducted every three years to analyze health care needs, use of local health care services, and the overall health of the community. The assessment includes survey data, an environmental analysis of publicly available health and social determinants, and meetings with local, government, and social service agencies (data were collected at the local, state, and national levels, with local data coming primarily from Eagle, Garfield, and Pitkin counties).

The results are then used to develop Valley View’s goals and programs for the next three years. Below are some of the highlights provided by Valley View prior to the release of the full evaluation at the end of the year:

• The average life expectancy in the community is 88 years, higher than the state average of 79 and the national average of 78.
• Garfield County had the highest rate of uninsured residents in the state at 17.4%, which is nearly double the state average of 9%.
• 89.7% of respondents have health insurance; 77% of those without said their main reason for not having health insurance is their inability to pay for it.
• Pitkin County is home to a much higher rate of aging citizens (24% are over 65).
• The community reports high rates of excessive alcohol consumption, up to 26% in Pitkin County.
• The community reports high rates of depression and anxiety (up to 22% and 17% respectively), but low rates of adults receiving treatment (as low as 7% in Garfield County).
• The three main reasons why 41.3% of the population delayed or did not receive necessary healthcare in the last three years were cost, long waiting times or not being able to get an appointment.

The survey also found that an average of 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, a housing security statistic that can sometimes provide context for community health needs.

The survey received 974 responses in total, though Valley View said they are still taking into consideration responses received after the deadline. Nearly half of the respondents were between the ages of 65 and 84, and 90 percent identified themselves as permanent residents of their community.

Community members interested in learning more about Valley View initiatives or inquiring about mental or physical health needs are encouraged to contact Gavrell at [email protected].