How Tahoe Measures Healthy Lifestyle
Chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease, are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. With the aging of the country’s population, chronic diseases will become more prevalent and place a growing burden on the local healthcare system. Lifestyle behaviors including poor nutrition, tobacco use, and lack of physical activity are responsible for increases in chronic disease, increasing cases of premature death and placing a growing burden on local healthcare systems. Healthy behavior, such as regular exercise and healthy food consumption, as well as access to high quality, affordable medical care, reduces the likelihood of chronic disease and lowers mortality rates.
Payer for Hospital Services
The distribution of payers for hospital services is a helpful measure of the wealth levels, personal health and hospital affordability for Tahoe residents over time. Higher dependence on government insurance can indicate an inability of residents to pay for hospital services on their own, and thus reflect a growing portion of the community likely to avoid preventative care due to the inability to pay for such services. This indicator also reflects the affordability and accessibility of hospitals in the region for local residents; affordability and accessibility are impacted by the dependence on government insurance because below market rates for government insurers are offset by above market rates for private insurers and self-payers.
This indicator measures the annual total count of Tahoe residents discharged from hospitals in California serving Tahoe residents by expected source of payment. Expected sources of payment for hospital services, includes Government Insurance (Medicare, Medi-Cal, Other Government, Private Insurance (Private Coverage, Worker’s Compensation), Self-Paid and Other/Unknown, as defined by the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD).
Health Issues of Concern
A healthy community contains more productive members of society, reduces local health care system costs and promotes healthy behavior choices of its residents and visitors. Understanding the health of a community and the primary ailments of concern helps decision makers allocate resources for specific prevention programs and enables planners to design communities that promote more healthy behaviors. Understanding the principal diagnosis groups are important when determining whether or not hospitals in the region are meeting the needs of local citizens.
This indicator measures the annual total count of patients discharged from Tahoe hospitals by principal diagnosis group. The California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) tracks 19 principal diagnosis group, but this indicator only reports on cancer, circulatory system, respiratory system, and skin disorder diagnosis groups. These groups were selected because they consistently have the highest total patient counts and/or they are the most relevant health conditions experienced by Tahoe residents.
What is Tahoe Doing to Improve Healthy Lifestyle
The Sustainable Communities Program is not currently reporting any action or leading indicators to improve healthy lifestyles.
Learn More/Get Involved
Learn more at the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development