Haywood Regional Medical Center launches comprehensive survey to evaluate the health needs of the community

Haywood Regional Medical Center, in collaboration with local health professionals, community organizations, and other stakeholders, is creating a roadmap for a healthier Haywood County. As part of this effort, the hospital has launched a comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) to better understand the current state of health across the region and to identify key areas for improvement.

The CHNA is a structured process that involves collecting, analyzing, and sharing data related to the overall health and well-being of the community. Its purpose is to identify factors that negatively impact health and to assess the availability of resources to address those needs effectively.

This marks the hospital’s latest assessment since completing its previous CHNA three years ago. The current process will help measure progress made and determine what still needs to be done. The assessment is expected to be finalized in May, and a report of the findings will be shared with the community.

“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 Chris Brown, RN, CEO of Haywood Regional Medical Center. “This will help us focus our efforts and resources where they can make the greatest impact as we continue working toward our mission of making communities healthier.”

The CHNA incorporates both newly gathered data and previously collected information from local, state, and federal public health sources. This data-driven approach will help identify actionable strategies for health improvement.

In June, a community focus group will be held to gather direct input from residents, healthcare providers, and hospital employees. Surveys will also be distributed to capture the voices and experiences of Haywood County residents. These insights will play a key role in setting priorities for health improvement initiatives.

“The survey will give us a clearer view of health concerns as experienced and perceived by the people who live and work in Haywood County,” said Brown.

Data collection and analysis are being conducted in partnership with Strata, a trusted research partner. Their work will support Haywood Regional Medical Center’s leadership and board of trustees in refining hospital services and aligning them more closely with community needs.

Following the data collection phase, a Community Health Summit will be held to share findings and engage the public in collaborative planning for health improvement.

“As we demonstrated with our last CHNA, this process is not just about producing a report,” Brown said. “It’s about creating an actionable plan that drives real progress in the health and well-being of our community.”

The survey can be accessed directly by any resident of Haywood County at MyHaywoodRegional.com/community-health-needs-assessment.