Com­mu­ni­ty Health Needs Assessment

Community Health Needs Assessment

The Affordable Care Act requires that all tax-exempt hospitals conduct a community health needs assessment (CHNA) every three years. This new federal requirement is very similar to the traditional Community Health Assessment (CHA) required of local health departments in North Carolina. Much like the long-time CHA, the CHNA involves a systematic process to identify and analyze community health needs and assets, prioritize those needs, and develop action plans. Because many of the community health needs identified by Onslow Memorial Hospital’s previous assessment aligned with those identified by assessments conducted by the Onslow County Health Department, the two agencies began collaborating in 2015. This pairing of a hospital and health department for the assessment process is unique and has not been widely utilized in North Carolina. However, it demonstrates the strong collaboration that exists, and paves the way toward a partnership for a healthier community. This coordination and collaboration will continue as we develop additional action plans and health initiatives for Onslow County.

Send questions or feedback on our CHNA to OMHCommunications@onslow.org