Community Health Needs Assessment

Addressing Local Health Needs

Sanford Health is committed to improving the health of our communities. The Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) helps us understand significant unmet health needs and prioritize local partnerships and initiatives to address them.

While individual choices are important, health also depends on several community factors like food security, public safety, education and air quality.

What is the Community Health Needs Assessment?

The CHNA identifies residents’ needs, strategies to improve community health, and resources that can be deployed by health systems and community partners.

As part of the process, Sanford Health conducts surveys and public meetings to give community members a direct voice in the process. Through the survey, community members answer simple, confidential questions that help us learn more about the health and well-being of our communities.

Support the health of your community

Using the results of past Community Health Needs Assessments, Sanford Health has brought forward solutions that have expanded community health initiatives, offerings and programs in areas such as children’s care, mental health, rural health care access, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Some examples include:

• Virtual care brings specialists to rural, underserved areas
• Sanford launches virtual behavioral health appointments
• Sanford Health connects patients to community resources
• Rural ultrasound initiative grants $1.2M to Sanford Health
• LGBTQ+ patients can find high-quality care at Sanford Health
• Sanford program spurs diversity in the research lab

In compliance with the 2010 Affordable Care Act and the IRS 990 requirement for nonprofit health systems, Sanford Health conducts the CHNA every three years. Below you’ll find a list of completed assessments. Please contact us with any questions or comments.