In the heart of northwestern Ohio, Mercy Health Lima stands as a testament to what can be achieved when healthcare institutions extend their reach beyond hospital walls. Led by dedicated professionals like Tyler Smith, MS, CSCS, Director of Community Health, this organization has crafted an impressive network of community partnerships that address not just medical needs, but the social determinants of health that so often dictate patient outcomes.
"What I see as my overarching goal is to extend the resources and the care beyond the four walls of the hospital, we serve an 11-county region... it's my job to work with our health departments, our nonprofits, various sectors in the community, understand what the gaps and opportunities are, what are some of the health challenges, and then build a strategy around that."
The challenge of serving both urban and rural populations requires nimble, adaptable strategies. Lima itself is predominantly urban with approximately 35,000-40,000 residents, while the surrounding Allen County (population ~100,000) represents a blend of urban and rural communities. The outlying counties in their service area are almost entirely rural.
"It is very different because there's a lot of things that we have to be very strategic on from an outreach standpoint, things that we do in Lima may be different than something that we do in Ottawa or something in Auglaize County or a more rural area. We have to think about that differently because that population is going to react differently."
This diverse landscape means that health initiatives must be tailored to meet the specific needs and preferences of each community. What works in downtown Lima might fail in a farming community 30 miles away.
Addressing Complex Health Challenges
Through comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessments, Mercy Health Lima has identified several critical challenges facing their region:
- Maternal health issues
- Chronic disease management
- Housing instability and poor community conditions
- Mental health and substance abuse concerns
- Access barriers including food insecurity and provider shortages
Recent years have seen these challenges evolve, with housing instability becoming increasingly problematic. Additionally, the region has experienced a significant influx of Haitian immigrants, introducing new cultural and linguistic complexities to healthcare delivery.
"Within the last year and a half, we've seen an influx of what we call newcomers. So our immigrant and refugee population, we've had a lot of Haitians that have moved to the Lima area, that creates some challenges because from a healthcare standpoint, you need to have translation set up. They also present different cultural backgrounds and different health needs as well."
Housing as Healthcare: A Bold Approach
Perhaps most innovative among Mercy Health Lima's initiatives is their direct investment in housing solutions. In a neighborhood just north of the hospital, they discovered alarming statistics: 65% of residents were renters, and over half were spending more than 50% of their income on housing costs.
"They don't have the money for prescriptions or food. So, they may not be as worried about managing their chronic conditions."
Rather than viewing housing as outside their purview, Mercy Health partnered with economic development organizations and local nonprofits to form an LLC focused on creating pathways to homeownership. This collaboration secured funding to help residents become homeowners and make critical improvements to existing housing stock.
"We are actually working to allow those folks to become homeowners, to provide opportunities to improve the affordability and make improvements to their housing,"
The initiative extends beyond physical structures. The team hired a resource navigator who lives in the neighborhood and runs the local neighborhood association. They've created green spaces, established a "Walk with a Doc" program, conducted health screenings, and offered financial literacy and homeownership classes.
Supporting Newcomers Through Integrated Services
The arrival of Haitian immigrants presented both challenges and opportunities. Recognizing the need for coordinated support, Mercy Health helped establish a Newcomer Coalition that brings together healthcare providers, educators, legal services, and social service agencies.
"We kind of took a leadership role in helping to establish with one of our community partners a newcomer coalition, we were also able to help through support from our system, through our foundation, to get funding to provide somebody to run as an administrator, a point person within the community."
This coalition connects newcomers to housing resources, employment opportunities, educational programs, and healthcare services. They've partnered with Connecting Borders to create a physical location where immigrants can access comprehensive support.
The results have been promising. "Over the last year, just the amount of minutes that we had to do for translation services was really, really high. We've actually seen some of those numbers decrease," notes Smith. "I don't know if that's due to those individuals getting care at the right place at the right time."
Addressing Food Insecurity Through Clinical Integration
Food insecurity represents another significant barrier to health in the region. Mercy Health's innovative Green Rx program integrates food security screening into clinical care.
"We started with our primary care locations and strategically started in certain locations where the need was higher; Our providers, our nurses, our staff would screen the patients when they're going through their assessment. If they identify as being food insecure, we provide them with a shelf-stable food box, emergency food box on site."
But the program doesn't stop there. Patients also receive vouchers connecting them to local food banks for ongoing support.
"We're not going to be the long-term food provider, but we can help address those needs and get them connected,"
Measuring Impact and Planning for the Future
All of these initiatives fall under Mercy Health's Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), a three-year strategic roadmap that includes seven priorities and over 40 measurable strategies. This structured approach ensures accountability and continuous improvement.
"It's something that we measure, our board requires frequent updates," Smith explains. "The health departments do one as well, so I work very closely with our three counties that are our primary service area."
Looking ahead, Smith hopes to further operationalize their community health strategy and strengthen Mercy Health's reputation as a leader in community health.
"I would like for people, when they see or think of Mercy Health, to think, 'Oh yeah, they're the leader in this. They're the leader in providing this sort of education or outreach for this population.'"
The Path Forward
The success of Mercy Health Lima's community initiatives offers valuable lessons for healthcare organizations everywhere. By embracing partnerships, addressing social determinants of health, and adapting strategies to meet the unique needs of diverse communities, they've created a model that improves both individual patient outcomes and community wellbeing.
As Smith aptly puts it: "It's really about developing the strong relationships to understand who are the partners, who are the main key players there, where are there gaps and opportunities."
In an era where healthcare increasingly extends beyond clinical settings, Mercy Health Lima demonstrates that hospitals can be powerful catalysts for community transformation. Their work across 11 counties shows that with strategic partnerships and a commitment to addressing root causes, healthcare systems can truly scale their impact to reach those who need it most.