A 15-month effort, Compass Now 2012 was a collaboration of the Great Rivers United Way and the region’s hospitals, which are required by the new federal health care law to do community assessments and shared in the cost, about $70,000. The result will guide planning and resource allocation in the coming years. “We have a responsibility to improve public health,” said Lori Freit-Hammes, director of health promotion for Mayo Clinic Health Systems in La Crosse. “It’s not just about treating illness.”

La Crosse Tribune, by Chris Hubbach, 1/24/2012

Tags: Community, community assesments, Compass Now 2012, Great Rivers United Way, Lori Freit-Hammes, Mayo Clinic Health Systems in La Crosse