UNION COUNTY — Every three years Grande Ronde Hospital conducts a critical assessment that helps guide future healthcare efforts in the county.

The IRS requires not-for-profit hospitals such as GRH to conduct community health needs assessments, according to Wendy Roberts, the hospital’s community benefit officer and senior director of administrative services. The assessment aims to establish a comprehensive picture of the health and needs of the community.

“This survey allows us to gather data, understand results, and implement a work plan based on our identified needs,” Roberts said.

Grande Ronde Hospital is hosting a virtual meeting March 31, 12-1:30 p.m., to share the results from the 2024 Union County Community Health Assessment, according to a press release.

The event is open to the public to learn about key findings from the survey, ask questions and engage in discussion on how to improve local healthcare.  The meeting is online at https://tinyurl.com/2y3mvhcf.

The survey is part of an ongoing cycle of assessment, planning and action, GRH’s Director of Communications and Marketing Karrine Brogoitti said. For more than a decade, Grande Ronde Hospital has partnered with the Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio to conduct the assessment.

Community health assessments are largely standardized, according to Brogoitti, with 80% of the questions coming from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

The survey included over 100 questions that covered a wide range of topics, including health status, exercise habits, diet and overall wellbeing. It collects data on health collaboration with local partners, including the Center for Human Development, social service agencies, law enforcement, and schools.

Grande Ronde Hospital and its partners use the findings to help determine where resources should be focused over the next three years.

“The survey responses are critical in guiding our focus on the most pressing community health needs,” Roberts said.