Charles County Health Needs Assessment is Done Every Three Years

LA PLATA, MD (July 10, 2024) –– University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center announced that it has published its updated Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). The updated assessment includes data gathered from July 2023 to February 2024 by UM Charles Regional and its partners in the study, the Charles County Department of Health and Partnerships for a Healthier Charles County. The comprehensive assessment identifies continuing and emerging health needs in Charles County, and helps the community hospital and its partners set goals and objectives for addressing those needs over the next three years.

Mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), the CHNA must be completed by hospital facilities every three years. The most recent assessment was completed in 2021.

"The Community Health Needs Assessment is one of the best ways for us to measure the true health care and wellness needs of the residents of Charles County," said Craig J. Renner, Director of Community Health, Marketing and Communications at UM Charles Regional. "Through focus groups, surveys and data analysis we identify and prioritize the most pressing health issues affecting our county, and develop broad-based plans that, working in conjunction with our community partners, will address those issues over the next three years."

To provide a comprehensive assessment of the county's health needs, a four-method plan was developed, which included five different sources of data: a long online survey of Charles County residents' perceptions of health and health behaviors, a short paper survey on health perceptions throughout the county, focus groups with community members and leaders, and a quantitative data analysis of secondary, published data. Data collection occurred between July 2023 and December 2023.

The use of multiple data collection methods strengthened the validity of the assessment's findings, ensured that Charles County residents had an opportunity to participate in the assessment process, and gave the chance for them to provide recommendations and suggestions for programming to address their communities.

From an implementation standpoint, the assessment focused on enhancing public health through collaborative efforts and strategic initiatives. Key objectives included addressing social determinants of health, expanding access to health care, and improving mental health services. The plan emphasized data-driven approaches and partnerships with local organizations to reduce health disparities and promote preventive care. Specific actions involved community engagement, education and resource allocation to support vulnerable populations.

The 2024 Charles County Community Health Needs Assessment can be accessed online at UMCharlesRegional.org/community/CHNA.Past assessments and plans can also be found there.