How Coaching Calls can support IHC data interpretation, drive implementation discussions and support attainable SDOH goals in hospitals and health systems.

Through an exciting collaboration with Montana FLEX (Medical Rural Hospital Flexibility Program), Critical Access Hospitals in Montana have a technical assistance resource to support planning and implementation to meet SDOH needs in their communities. Convergence Health is providing interested CAHs a one-on-one coaching call to take a deep dive into their Index for Healthy Communities (IHC) scores. Together, hospital leaders and the team behind the IHC brainstorm implementation goals and strategies and troubleshoot potential challenges to SDOH programming.

Each hospital or health system is asked to bring supplemental data to the conversation including CHNA/CHIPs, SDOH screening results and any other relevant information they would like to discuss. Convergence provides the facility’s IHC score along with potential areas of focus based on their collective scores. Then the magic happens!

Hospitals and health systems that have participated in coaching calls thus far have discovered commonalities between their IHC scores and SDOH and CHNA results that have helped to shape conversations about potential implementation projects. Emerging areas of focus have included  safety in the home for aging community members and food insecurity. By analyzing facility-level screening data and IHC data together, hospitals gain a richer understanding of needs across their communities.  

You can learn more about the IHC on the Resource Hub and sign up for a coaching call by emailing Chloe Williams at chloe.williams@mtha.org.