New York State law requires the completion of a Health Equity Impact Assessment (HEIA) with certain certificate of need (CON) applications. The HEIA requirement applies to licensed Article 28 health care entities – including hospitals, nursing homes, and diagnostic & treatment centers – who are embarking on major construction or other projects to establish, reduce, or expand services.
The HEIA describes the potential health equity impacts of a project on the underserved populations in the applicant’s community and identifies how it could help or harm their access to and quality of care. Once complete, the HEIA will be publicly posted and considered by the Department of Health and the Public Health and Health Planning Council (where relevant) when evaluating the CON.
New York’s requirement is the first passed by any state, and we know many organizations are still working to understand the process. SPG is committed to a flexible approach tailored to each individual project, large or small. From constructing a new inpatient unit to relocating a community clinic, we will consider all projects on their own terms, in the context of their local communities and needs. SPG has already produced HEIAs for a variety of projects, such as:
- For hospitals and D&TCs – adding and closing inpatient service lines; adding and relocating services within extension clinics; increasing or decreasing bed capacity
- For nursing homes – adding a dialysis den; relocating within a borough; opening, closing, and restructuring Adult Day Health Care programs
Our HEIA team combines SPG’s unmatched knowledge of New York State health policy and government affairs with the expertise of leading independent consultants and researchers in population health, health equity, and anti-racism. Our approach includes a comprehensive demographic profile of the facility’s primary service area, meaningful stakeholder engagement, and a detailed analysis of the project’s potential impact on community residents, focusing on medically underserved groups.
Below is further information on SPG’s experience and approach to completing HEIAs – please reach out to us at jpierce@sachspolicy.com or 201-723-7765 at any time to discuss.
Our Approach to HEIAs
SPG uses the following three-step process to complete the HEIA process and provide all required documentation, ensuring compliance with the State’s guidelines and conflict-of-interest requirements:
- Comprehensive Data Collection and Analysis: SPG will use both publicly available data and data requested from the applicant to conduct a comprehensive review of the service area and to identify populations, specifically medically underserved groups, that may be impacted by the proposed project. Using descriptive statistics and data visualizations, SPG will efficiently paint a picture of the community and its patient profiles.
- Meaningful Stakeholder and Community Engagement: SPG will perform meaningful, culturally competent, and sensitive engagement to obtain diverse stakeholder and community feedback on how the proposed project impacts the unique health needs or quality of life of historically medically underserved group(s). From our experience, SPG understands that meaningful engagement with the community and stakeholders is crucial for a successful HEIA. Types of activities may include stakeholder surveys, community forums, and/or interviews with local health departments, public health experts, and community leaders.
- Health Equity Impact and Mitigation Strategy with Recommendations: SPG will utilize the insights gathered from our research/data analysis and stakeholder/community outreach to support the development of a mitigation strategy for any impacts identified. We will also provide suggestions for monitoring and tracking progress on health equity as the project is implemented, including the use ofrelevant quality measures and ongoing dialogue with the community and impacted stakeholders.