As healthcare providers, understanding the specific health needs of the communities we serve has never been more important. A comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) is an invaluable tool that enables healthcare organizations to evaluate the health priorities of a region, make data-driven decisions and ultimately offer more effective, equitable care.  What is a Community Health Needs Assessment?  A CHNA is a structured process in which healthcare organizations collect and analyze information about community health status, resources and needs. It’s an essential step for any healthcare provider committed to delivering patient-centered care that addresses acute and chronic health conditions and proactively supports community wellness. Learn how to get started with a CHNA.   The value of a comprehensive approach  Unlike basic health assessments, a comprehensive CHNA goes deeper, gathering extensive data on social determinants of health, demographic trends,...

Include integral data in your Community Health Needs Assessment examples  Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) examples tend to focus on case studies. However, using integral data for your CHNA can provide overall guidance, making it easier to start and complete your final report. In this Q&A, DataGen’s Melissa Bauer, principal healthcare informatics analyst, explains why using data in the CHNA is key and what types of data you should collect.   Q1: What is CHNA data?   A CHNA requires two types of data: primary and secondary. Using these two data streams, organizations can better characterize the community's health. This helps the organization conducting the CHNA best understand their community needs. It also informs them on the best ways to respond to them, providing guidance on where to start and how to evaluate impact and outcomes. Here’s a further explanation of the data found in a CHNA:  Primary data includes community surveys, focus groups, in-dep...

Hospitals typically conduct a  Community Health Needs Assessment  to comply with state requirements or to maintain 501(c)3 status. However, emerging trends around health outcomes and health equity have sparked organizations to update and better align their CHNA processes toward highlighting community needs, equity, population health concerns, service access, affordability and quality. In a research study,  The National Library of Medicine  found that "Social determinants of health impact 80% of health outcomes from acute to chronic disorders, and attempts are underway to provide these data elements to clinicians." Because of the short- and  long-term effects of SDOHs , it's important that hospitals assess community needs. This way, they can find solutions to improve quality of life, identify underserved populations and establish connections with the community. What can your organization do to revamp its CHNA process to focus on community needs, equity, care acce...