b'Addressing the needs of a communityBy Kimberly SouthAtitscore,PrismaHealthwasformedtoaddressinitiativestoaddressthesehealthprioritiesoverthe issues of community healthespecially in underservednext three years. communitiesinSouthCarolinaandthesignificant costsassociatedwithvulnerablepopulations.TheCHNAprocessallowsPrismaHealthtobetter Currently, our state ranks 45th of 50 states in nationalunderstandthehealthcareneedsofMidlandsand healthratings. ToimproveSouthCarolinasstateofUpstateSouthCarolinaresidents,sothatwemay health, we must first be aware of the top health issuesbetterrespondtothem.Theassessmentisdesigned facingourincreasinglydiverseresidents,includingtohelpPrismaHealthanditspartnersimprove thosewhohavedifficultyaccessingqualityhealththeoverallhealthandwellnessofcommunitiesby careandvulnerablepopulationssuchastheelderlyidentifyingthecommunityneedsanduseoflocal and those with special needs. The Community Healthhealthresources,andtheactionsneededtoaddress Needs Assessment (CHNA) is an invaluable tool forhealth care delivery in a defined area.identifyingandprioritizingacommunityshealth needs. Intandemwiththesefindingsandbyworking alongsideourmanyacademic,business,legislative Prisma Health recently conducted a CHNA in sevenand community partners, I am confident that we will primarycountiesthroughouttheMidlandsandcontinue making progress in improving the health and UpstateincludingGreenville,Laurens,Lexington,well being of our patients and all those we serve in our Oconee,Pickens,RichlandandSumtercounties.communities,saidMarkOHalla,PrismaHealths Thisassessmentisdoneeverythreeyearsandpresident and chief executive officer.includesinterviewswithstateandlocalelected officials,majoremployers,communitymembersandInall,7,613surveysweresubmittedacrossthe community organizations that provide health services.MidlandsandUpstatemarkets.Whilemostwere Additionally,surveysareconductedthroughprepaidsubmittedelectronically(93.2%),papersurveysalso mailings,door-to-doordistribution,onlineandatweresubmitted(6.8%).Surveyswereavailablein localorganizations/agenciesandcommunityevents.English,SpanishandVietnamese,andpromoted TheresultingreportispostedatPrismaHealth.org/ viaemailandpostcardswithQRcodesthatlinked CHNA.totheonlinesurvey.Surveysandpostcardswere distributedthroughoutthecommunityatsatellite Three major health improvement areas rose to the top.locationsandgeneralcommunitygatheringspots In rank order, they are:(grocerystores,schools,etc.)fromMarchuntilJune 1.Mental health2022.Communityleaderandhealthcareworker 2.Overweight and obesity interviewsandfocusgroupswereconductedby GOODSTOCK Consulting, LLC, to reduce potential 3.Heart disease and strokebias imposed by the role or responsibility of hospital staff.Fourteenfocusgroupsand42keyinformant Manyofthehealthconcernssharedinthe2019interviews were conducted for this study. Participants assessment remain the same today, and the disparitiesweredrawnfromboththeMidlandsandUpstate areevenmoreapparentasaresultoflessonsmarkets to include community members, professional learnedfromtheCOVID19pandemic.Usingthecommunity partners, providers/clinicians and hospital informationgatheredthroughthe2022survey,wereadministrators.developinganumberofstrategicprogramsand 18IMARA'