Maria Parham Health has initiated a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) in Vance County. This effort, in collaboration with local health professionals and community stakeholders, aims to identify public health priorities and objectives. The initiative is part of the hospital’s ongoing commitment to improving community health.
The CHNA will gather and analyze data to determine factors affecting public health and assess available resources. Maria Parham Health last conducted a CHNA three years ago, and this new assessment will evaluate progress since then. Results are expected by the end of October.
Bert Beard, CEO of Maria Parham Health, stated, “Guided by the results of this important community assessment and the progress we’ve made since the last CHNA, we will soon have a more comprehensive understanding of the health needs of our community.”
The assessment will utilize both existing and newly collected data from various sources, including previous assessments by public health organizations. Community engagement is crucial; focus groups and surveys involving residents, physicians, and hospital staff will be conducted.
Beard added that the survey would reflect concerns from Vance County residents’ perspectives. Data collection is being handled by Strata, Maria Parham Health’s research partner. Findings will be presented to guide program refinement.
A Community Health Summit will follow data collection to present findings and engage the public further. The hospital plans to align its findings with those from Granville Vance Public Health for coordinated action.
“As we demonstrated with our last CHNA,” said Beard, “our community assessment is not just about producing a report—it’s about creating a sustained action plan that truly improves the lives of the people in our community.”
