Andrew Sanderson II, MD, MPH, FASGE

2015-2016

Adjunct Associate Professor, Howard University Graduate School; Attending Physician, Weatherby Healthcare, Washington, DC

Andrew Sanderson, II, MD  was most recently Associate Professor of Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine/Division of Gastroenterology, Associate Program Director of the Gastroenterology Fellowship Program, and Division Chief, Gastroenterology at Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, DC.  From 2007-2009, he was a physician specialist in the Department of Internal Medicine/Gastroenterology at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Multi-Service Ambulatory Care Center, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, and from 2008-2009, he was a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Internal Medicine/Division of Gastroenterology at the Harbor UCLA Medical Center, in Torrance, CA.  As a member of the diversity committee of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, he has worked on “Investing in the Future,” a pipeline project for underrepresented minority medical students and residents who are interested in GI as a career.  He has worked with the National Medical Association’s Environmental Health and Bioterrorism Task Force to address the problem of elevated levels of lead in the District of Columbia’s water supply, as well as Chair of a church-based volunteer program tasked to assist at a men’s shelter.  Dr. Sanderson received his medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, DC in 2001 and completed his internal medicine residency at Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia PA in 2004.

Addressing Community Health Needs through Resource Mapping and Coalition Building

Background:

The term “community benefit” is used to describe resources allocated by not-for-profit (NFP) hospitals to care for uninsured or underinsured patients.  This usually came in the form of “charity” or uncompensated care.  With the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, and the expected increase in insured patients through Medicaid expansion, NFP hospitals were required to develop a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) to redirect funds from charity care to community benefit programs. Some hospitals use a process, described as “resource mapping”, to identify partners in the local community and connect patients with underutilized programs, which offer social support and may improve health outcomes.  This concept of providing information, guidance, and support for the local population’s health related social needs is a way accountable care organizations (ACOs) can provide access to preventive services and reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations.

Methods:

Worked with St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center (SMC), located in a high need area of Pueblo, CO, and part of the larger Centura Health System.

Performed review of SMC 2012 CHNA, including data sources, and 2016 CHIP to identify major programs, assess program alignment with needs assessment, and review goals, tactics.

Conducted stakeholder interviews with internal and external programs/partners

Literature review to identify best practices for Community Benefit administration

Findings:

12 stakeholder interviews were conducted that identified the most urgent needs in Pueblo as:

(1) Substance Abuse- opioid epidemic, drug-addicted babies, marijuana migrants (2) Homelessness- significant increase over last 9 months, minimal sheltering facilities (3) Men’s health age 25-44.

The 2012 CHNA guided St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center priorities: (1) Wellness- Obesity and Diabetes (2) Behavioral Health (3) Access and Insurance (4) Teen Pregnancy

Future Directions:

  1. Perform gap analysis to prioritize existing programs by impact (evaluating cost/benefit)
  2. Expand database of trusted community partners
  3. Enhance data collection for upcoming CHNA to capture men aged 25-44 using hospital and ER discharge data and community surveys
  4. Create coalition of community partners to enhance communication via listserv to reduce reliance on ‘word of mouth’ or specific program champions, and increase efficacy of local and state advocacy

Mr. James Corbett, MDiV, JD,
SVP Community Health & Values Integration

Mr. Carl Patten, Jr., JD, MPH,
Director, Medical-Legal Partnerships