Lee Health board approves plan to improve community health

One Southwest Florida hospital system is focusing on helping you better take care of your health.

Lee Health is making swift changes to address medical concerns and gaps in services after a recent community assessment, a systematic data-driven report that studied the health status, behaviors and needs of people living in Lee County.

The board of directors recently approved a Community Health Needs Assessment Implementation Strategy, which includes the launch of healthy cooking demonstrations with food distribution partners; supporting community collaborations to increase behavioral health programs and services; vaping and tobacco prevention education programs targeting youth and young adults; and providing screenings, education and referrals in partnership with community stakeholders.

“Lee Health is here to help you stay healthy and well. We do not want to fix you when you’re broken, we want to keep you healthy and well so you never have to come into our hospitals. So, that means regular checkups, getting your tests done on a regular basis, helping you to stop smoking and doing bad habits. But if you do, we’re there for you,” said Chris Simoneau, chief foundation and development officer for Lee Health.

Lee Health said it’s important to note that community health is all of our responsibility and we need to stick together to make Southwest Florida the best place to live, work, play and retire that it can possibly be.