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Chittenden, Grand Isle County Residents Invited to Take Part in 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment

Survey Runs Through October 15, Informs Local Collaborations to Improve Health Outcomes

Group of community members at Burlington Pride Parade 2021
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BURLINGTON, Vt. – As Vermonters continue working to end a pandemic that exposed health inequities worldwide and here at home, The University of Vermont Medical Center and more than 25 community organizations are asking the community to help identify priorities that will impact the health and well-being of our community now and into the future.

The collaborative Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) occurs every three years and provides an opportunity to examine top community health needs and assets to build upon. The CHNA is seeking to understand how social and environmental conditions contribute to people’s health and wellbeing. Residents of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties, aged 16 and older, are being asked to join us in sharing their perspectives on how to strengthen community health via a survey. To take the survey, which runs through October 15, visit http:/www.uvmmed.hn/chna2022.

The 2022 CHNA process is more inclusive than ever before, and being conducted through the lens of health and racial equity. The 2022 assessment will account for structural drivers such as racism that impact the health and well-being of our communities. To achieve a goal of broad inclusion, the survey can now be taken in 10 written languages as well American Sign Language, and 1:1 survey-taking support is available with interpreters. At this time, more than 1,000 2022 CHNA community surveys have been completed.

“This is a critical component of understanding the needs of our community, and delivering the quality care and positive outcomes that our patients need and deserve,” said Stephen Leffler, MD, president and COO of the University of Vermont Medical Center. “We hope to use the data and information gathered to continue the work of delivering equitable care to our community and patients.”

The Affordable Care Act mandates that a CHNA be conducted every three years and The University of Vermont Medical Center has been completing health assessments since the 1980s. Results of the CHNA will inform a three-year Community Health Improvement Plan that identifies and prioritizes health needs, builds upon existing strengths and collaboratively works on solutions with community partners, including the Community Health Centers of Burlington.

“The Community Health Centers of Burlington plays a critical role in keeping our community healthy. Our diverse patient population has varying needs, and this survey is an important way for us to understand and deliver on those needs. We hope the community will participate and help us in this collaborative effort to improve,” said Kim Anderson, director of development & communications for the Community Health Centers of Burlington, a non-profit organization serving 30,000 patients.

Survey runs through October 15

Individuals who are 16 years of age and up are eligible to complete the 10-minute survey. The survey is anonymous and confidential, meaning participants will not be asked to provide any personally identifiable information. Once the survey is submitted, individuals can choose to enter for a chance to win one of four $50 gift cards. The survey can be completed on a computer, tablet, or smart phone. Paper copies are also available at locations within our community. The Center for Rural Studies at the University of Vermont is administering the survey and will be conducting the analysis.

To find out more about the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment and surveys from previous years, visit UVMHealth.org/MedCenter/CHNA.

Please go to http:/www.uvmmed.hn/chna2022 to take the survey.

About the University of Vermont Medical Center
The University of Vermont Medical Center is a 499-bed tertiary care regional referral center providing advanced care to approximately 1 million residents in Vermont and northern New York. Together with our partners at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, we are Vermont’s academic medical center. The University of Vermont Medical Center also serves as a community hospital for approximately 150,000 residents in Chittenden and Grand Isle counties. 

The University of Vermont Medical Center is a member of The University of Vermont Health Network, an integrated system established to deliver high quality academic medicine to every community we serve.

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