Highpoint Health – Sumner with Ascension Saint Thomas with collaboration from other local health professionals and stakeholders, is working on a road map to health for the people of Sumner County, identifying significant health needs, goals, priorities and resources. The hospital has launched a comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment, which will provide the foundation for improving and promoting the health of each community member.

A Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) is a systematic collection, analysis, and dissemination of information about the health of the community. Its role is to identify factors that affect the health of a population and determine the availability of resources with the community to adequately address those factors.

The assessment is expected to be finalized by the end of December. A report of the results will be presented to the community.

“Guided by the results of this important community assessment, we can have a more complete understanding of the health needs of this community which will help us focus our resources on how to improve health,” said Rod Harkleroad, RN, Chief Executive Officer of the Highpoint Health with Ascension Saint Thomas system.

Highpoint Sumner’s CHNA will use data to assess local health needs. Some the data has already been collected through previous local, state and federal public health organizations. The hospital is using a partner, Strategy Health to collect, quantify, and interpret the data.

Community focus groups and interviews will be conducted to seek input from numerous local stakeholders throughout this process. They will be asked about the most significant health needs in the county, barriers, assets, and potential solutions. That insight, along with the data, will be used to set priorities for community health improvement.

“The focus groups will be looking at what the concerns are as seen through the eyes of the stakeholders in Sumner County,” Harkleroad said.

Once the data and focus groups are complete, a community health summit is scheduled on November 13 to receive input from the community on health priorities and goals.

“We want to partner with the health department and other organizations and agencies to create the assessment and a foundation of an action plan to help us truly improve the lives of the people in our community,” Harkleroad said.

If you are interested in being part of a focus group or attending the summit, learn more at HighpointHealthSystem.com/CHNA.

About Highpoint Health with Ascension Saint Thomas

Highpoint Health with Ascension Saint Thomas, part of Lifepoint Health, is a regional health system dedicated to making communities healthier in northern Middle Tennessee. It is composed of Highpoint Health – Sumner, the 167-bed flagship hospital, and Highpoint Health – Sumner Station located in Gallatin; Highpoint Health – Riverview, a 35-bed critical access hospital in Carthage, and Highpoint Health – Trousdale, a 25-bed critical access hospital in Hartsville. The system's innovative partnership with Ascension Saint Thomas brings together the organizations’ clinical excellence, best practices, and talented caregivers to collaborate in new ways that improve access to high quality clinical programs and specialty care for patients and communities. To learn more, visit HighpointHealthSystem.com