Maria Parham Health Launches Comprehensive Study to Evaluate Community Health Needs

Maria Parham Health, in collaboration with local health professionals and community stakeholders, has launched a comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) to identify public health priorities, goals, and objectives in Vance County. This initiative is part of the hospital’s ongoing commitment to improving and promoting the health of every community member.

The CHNA is a structured approach to gathering, analyzing, and disseminating information about the community’s overall health. It is designed to identify the factors negatively affecting public health and to determine the availability of resources to address those issues effectively.

Maria Parham Health conducted its previous CHNA three years ago. The new assessment will evaluate the progress made since then and outline what still needs to be done. The current CHNA is expected to be completed by the end of October, with results to be shared publicly in a comprehensive report.
“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,” said Bert Beard, CEO of Maria Parham Health. “This will help us focus our resources as we work towards making communities healthier.”

The CHNA will draw from both existing and newly collected data to evaluate local health needs and recommend potential solutions. Some of the data sources include previous assessments conducted by local, state, and federal public health organizations.

A key element of the assessment is community engagement. A focus group will be conducted, and community members, physicians, and hospital staff will be surveyed to gather perspectives on local health concerns and needed changes. This qualitative insight will be combined with quantitative data to shape health improvement priorities.

“The survey will be looking at concerns as seen through the eyes of the residents of Vance County,” Beard added.
Data for the CHNA is being collected and analyzed by Strata, Maria Parham Health’s research partner. Strata will interpret the findings and present them to the hospital’s board of directors and administrative leadership, helping to guide the refinement of programs and services to better meet community health needs.

Following the completion of data collection, a Community Health Summit will be held to present the findings and further engage the public in health improvement planning. Maria Parham Health will also align its findings with the Granville Vance Public Health CHNA to ensure a coordinated and effective response.

“As we demonstrated with our last CHNA, 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,” said Beard.