Combined Public Health and Hospital Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) Process

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

In September 2012 Wake County Human Services (WCHS) initiated a joint community health assessment process between the County's Human Services Department, three area hospital systems, the County's Federally Qualified Health Center, the United Way, Urban Ministries, and the Wake County Medical Society Foundation. The Wake County Board of Commissioners' Chairman and the CEO of the Wake County Medical Society Foundation served as co-chairs for the effort. Fifty two additional partners participated in the process. As a result: • Each hospital submitted their CHNA Plan to the IRS by the June 2013 deadline. • Hospitals contributed $25,000 each and other partners contributing between $5,000 and $15,000 dollars. • Wake County had substantial savings compared to the previous 2010 Assessment, which cost an estimated $110,000. Costs for the 2013 CHNA were approximately $30,000, netting a savings of $80,000 for Wake County. • The time for the CHNA process was reduced from 18 months for the 2010 Assessment to 6 months for the 2013 Assessment. • The 60 CHNA partners are now aligning the priorities and plans as part of a new effort to make Wake County the "Healthiest Capital County in the Nation."