NETWORK SUPPORT SERVICES
CHNA
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A Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) is an assessment to better understand the health needs of a community to provide direction for community health improvement. The assessment is required for all tax-exempt hospitals, but it is truly for the community because the purpose of a CHNA is to provide community benefit.
Community benefits are programs activities or services that promote health in response to an identified community need; they increase access to health care and improve community health. |
CHNAs are conducted every three years. In North Central Washington (NCW) the first CHNA was conducted in 2013 and then consequently every three years after (2016, 2019, 2022, etc.). The NCW CHNA provides direction for healthcare organization, public health districts, and community organizations.
About the NCW CHNA
Regional health needs are collected through systematic data collection and analysis. Information is gathered through four data collection methods: health indicators; a community survey; focus groups; and other community assessments.
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HEALTH INDICATORS
Data for over 100 health indicators are collected and used to identify trends and inform the assessment. They come from secondary data sources like the U.S. Census Bureau and County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. COMMUNITY SURVEY The Community Voice Survey is a 15-question survey used to capture the community’s voice or opinion on the health needs in their community. FOCUS GROUPS Regional focus groups utilize the SWOT analysis where the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats affecting community health are discussed and recorded. OTHER COMMUNITY ASSESSMENTS Community assessments completed in non-CHNA years are reviewed and collated. They are used to better understand the priorities and needs of the community as identified by other individuals, organizations, and coalitions. |
The data collection process results in the identification of 10-15 potential health needs of the region. The potential health needs are selected because they meet three or more of the criteria used. The potential health needs are shared at a Regional Report-Out and Consensus Workshop where regional stakeholders meet, discuss, and vote to prioritize the needs down to 3-5.
REGIONAL HEALTH NEEDS
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2013
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2016
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2019
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Want to learn how your community is responding to these needs?
It is a requirement for CHNAs to be widely accessible to the public. Go to your local hospital’s website and look for their CHNA report.