Understanding the current health status of the community is important in order to identify priorities for future planning and funding, the existing strengths and assets on which to build upon, and areas for further collaboration across organizations, institutions, and community groups.
The Health Impact Collaborative of Greater Westerly – a coalition of hospitals, departments of public health, federally qualified health centers, and numerous community and non-profit organizations serving the Greater Westerly area – engaged in a process to assess the health needs of the community, as part of a larger goal of measurably improving the health and well-being of its residents.
Westerly Hospital, as part of the Rhode Island Hospital Association, recently completed its 2022 community health needs assessment process. This included the development of a comprehensive Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) by the hospital to address the major unmet needs in the region in collaboration with the Health Impact Collaborative of Greater Westerly.