CENTRAL OHIO HOSPITAL COUNCIL

A recent article in The Columbus Dispatch reveals roughly two in three third-grade students in Columbus City Schools are NOT on track to meet literacy standards for their age. Family Literacy Month is a time dedicated to fostering a love for reading and learning within families. Reading helps young children gain pre-literacy skills, such as knowledge of letters, reading from left to right, and so much more. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio can help build these skills so more children enter kindergarten ready to learn! Visit https://loom.ly/YtemRMY to sign up. 📷Credit: Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio #CentralOhioHospitalCouncil #COHC #BetterTogether #FamilyLiteracyMonth #FamilyLiteracy #LiteracyMatters #OhioImaginationLibrary

Franklin County hospitals have seen a 93.1% increase in total uncompensated care since the State of Ohio expanded Medicaid eligibility in 2014. While the amount of charity care has decreased by 20% since 2014, Franklin County hospitals have seen a 127% increase in Medicaid shortfalls. Our hospitals have incurred greater uncompensated care losses over the years; however, the community as a whole benefits when our residents have access to preventive screenings and early diagnosis and treatment of chronic health conditions and diseases. Learn more about hospital community benefit here: https://loom.ly/k4vleOs Mount Carmel Health System Nationwide Children's Hospital OhioHealth The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center #CentralOhioHospitalCouncil #COHC #BetterTogether #CommunityHealthImprovement #ImprovingPatientCare #FranklinCountyHospitalSystems

Yesterday, members of the HealthMap2025 steering committee met to determine the priority health needs affecting Franklin County residents. Franklin County HealthMap 2025, which will be released in spring 2025, will provide our hospitals, our health departments and other community organizations with an important tool to better understand the health needs and priorities of our residents. Look for HealthMap2025 to be released this spring. Learn more about this important assessment: https://loom.ly/FuIJYZg Columbus Public Health Franklin County Public Health Mount Carmel Health System Nationwide Children's Hospital OhioHealth The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center #CentralOhioHospitalCouncil #COHC #HealthMap2022 #BetterTogether #FranklinCountyHospitalSystems #CommunityHealthImprovement #NeedsAssessment

Consider these facts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The number of drug overdose deaths involving prescription opioids in 2021 was nearly five times the number in 1999. In 2021, 45 people died each day from a prescription opioid overdose, totaling nearly 17,000 deaths. In 2023, nearly 8.6 million Americans 12 years and older reported misusing prescription opioids in the past year. Although prescription opioids play an important role in the treatment of pain, unused drugs are often diverted for nonmedical use and contribute to the misuse and abuse of opioids. Last year, the four Franklin County hospital systems went live with the Toward Opioid-Free Ambulatory Surgery (TOFAS) initiative with an aim to identify opportunities for reducing opioid use after elective ambulatory surgery across the four Central Ohio hospital systems while maintaining patient comfort. Under the initiative, patients who receive an opioid prescription following an ambulatory procedure are surveyed on the filling and use of their opioid prescription within three weeks of discharge. Under the TOFAS initiative, 112 patients undergoing an ambulatory procedure and receiving an opioid prescription report have been surveyed, with 51% of patients reporting filling their opioid prescription, taking, on average, 6 pills of their 10-pill prescription. For more information about the TOFAS project, visit https://loom.ly/JpehN5Q Mount Carmel Health System Nationwide Children's Hospital OhioHealth The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Columbus Public Health Franklin County Public Health ADAMH Board of Franklin County Columbus & Franklin County Addiction Plan (CFCAP) #CentralOhioHospitalCouncil #COHC #BetterTogether #TOFAS #OpiateAddiction #ReduceOpiateUse #OpiatePrescriptionReduction #ReduceOpiateAddiction #PainManagement

October has been recognized as Health Literacy Month. In central Ohio, an increase in residents with limited English language skills has created an increased demand for patient education materials for non-English-speaking patients. With the help of the Central Ohio Hospital Council, the four hospital systems in central Ohio have developed the Health Information Translations (HIT) website healthinfotranslations.org. This website has become an important source of information for patients and the community by offering more than 3,500 free educational resources in up to 14 different languages, providing quality health education resources for diverse populations. Health Literacy Month brings awareness to the importance of making health information easy to understand. HealthInfoTranslations.org helps patients access the information they need. To view all topics and languages available on the HIT website, visit healthinfotranslations.org To learn more about our Health Information Translations Initiative, visit https://loom.ly/mYzjQmA Mount Carmel Health System Nationwide Children's Hospital OhioHealth The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center #CentralOhioHospitalCouncil #COHC #BetterTogether #HealthLiteracyMonth #HealthInformationTranslations #CommunityImprovement

Last week, COHC President and CEO Jeff Klingler gave the keynote address at OPAC's (Ohio Professional Administrative Collaborative) inaugural professional development conference for administrative professionals. OPAC is a group of administrative leaders from Central Ohio Hospital Council, Dayton Children's Hospital, Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio Hospital Association, OhioHealth and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center collaborating to focus on the work they share as administrative professionals in health care. The day was filled with networking, growth, and learning sessions designed with collaboration in mind including Leveraging Emotional Intelligence for Better Collaboration, Productivity and Collaboration Gamechangers, and Expanding the Admin Toolbox with Artificial Intelligence. Thank you to everyone who attended the first annual Ohio Professional Administrative Collaborative conference! #CentralOhioHospitalCouncil #COHC #BetterTogether #OPAC #OhioProfessionalAdministrativeCollaborative #HealthCare #ProfessionalDevelopment #AdministrativeProfessionals

Whether prescription or over-the-counter, expired or unused medications can be dangerous—even deadly—to others and pose a public safety risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the number of drug overdose deaths involving prescription opioids in 2021 was nearly five times the number in 1999. In 2021, 45 people died each day from a prescription opioid overdose, totaling nearly 17,000 deaths. Safeguard lives and protect the environment by participating in National Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 26th. To find a drug drop-off location near you, visit https://loom.ly/A8IHdao #CentralOhioHospitalCouncil #COHC #BetterTogether #NationalDrugTakeBackDay #PrescriptionDrugTakeBackDay #TakeBackDay #ReduceOpiateAddiction #ReduceOpiateOverdose #OpioidEpidemic

October is SIDS Awareness Month. SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, is the leading cause of death in infants age 1 month to 1 year old in the United States. Approximately 3,500 infants die annually in the U.S. from sleep-related infant deaths, the leading cause of SIDS. SIDS disproportionately impacts families of color, especially Black, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and low-income families. #SIDSAwarenessMonth serves as an important reminder that a safe sleep environment can help reduce the risk of sudden unexplained infant deaths. Creating a safe sleep environment includes: ⬩Giving baby their own bed or sleep space (crib, bassinet, or portable play yard) in your room, separate from your bed ⬩Removing all toys, blankets, and pillows from baby's bed ⬩Placing babies on their backs to sleep for naps and at night ⬩Using a sleep surface that is firm, flat, level, and covered only by a fitted sheet https://loom.ly/hTyQSsY Visit https://loom.ly/uNhBNj0 to learn more about safe sleep practices to reduce baby’s risk of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths and share this important information with everyone who cares for baby. 🎥Credit: CelebrateOne #CentralOhioHospitalCouncil #COHC #BetterTogether #Safesleep #InfantMortalityAwareness #InfantMortalityPrevention #ReduceInfantMortality #SIDSAwarenessMonth #SuddenInfantDeathSyndromeAwarenessMonth #NationalPregnancyAndInfantLossAwarenessMonth

According to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience a mental health condition each year. Franklin County has seen an increase over the past few years in the rate of depression prevalence, deaths from suicide, and hospitalization from self-harm. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, the 988 Lifeline provides 24/7 connection to confidential support. To utilize this resource, call or text 988 or use the chat feature at 988lifeline.org #CentralOhioHospitalCouncil #COHC #BetterTogether #988Lifeline #BehavioralHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #NationalDepressionEducationAndAwarenessMonth #NationalDepressionAndMentalHealthScreeningMonth #SubstanceMisusePreventionMonth

Second to prostate cancer, breast cancer is among the highest incidence rates among Franklin County residents, followed by lung and bronchus cancers. Mammograms are key to the early detection of breast cancer. National Mammography Day is an important reminder to get screened for breast cancer by getting this important preventative screening. #CentralOhioHospitalCouncil #COHC #BetterTogether #NationalMammographyDay #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth #EarlyDetectionSavesLives