Texas Health Resources\u2019 new community health needs assessment<\/a> highlighted isolation and lack of transportation as North Texans\u2019 main health-related issues.<\/p>\n The hospital system creates implementation strategies for new programs, partnerships and grant cycles based on the health assessment. A priority area for Texas Health from the 2022 health assessment was chronic disease, which the hospital system targeted in Fort Worth with its Health & Wellness Clinic<\/a> and partnership with Tarrant County Medical Society\u2019s Project Access<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt really helps us understand a little bit more about our communities and see what their specific health needs are so that we can prioritize those and build out some plans and actions for them,\u201d said Briar Deen, director of community health analytics.<\/p>\n Take a look<\/a> at the collaborations and outreach initiatives sparked by community health needs assessments.\u00a0<\/p>\n Texas Health\u2019s implementation strategies based on the new health assessment will be published no later than May 15, Deen said.<\/p>\n The health assessment, published Dec. 23, also highlighted 22 ZIP codes in Tarrant and Parker counties as high priority, compared to 16 in 2022. Although there wasn\u2019t a specific reason for the increase, multiple factors are probably at play, Deen said, including \u201cworsening health needs and community readiness.\u201d<\/p>\n The Tarrant and Parker county region had more high priority ZIP codes than any other area in North Texas.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we try to do is implement more programs in those areas to reach a little bit more of the people that have some of the needs for the services that we\u2019re going to be offering,\u201d Deen said.<\/p>\n Each year, Texas Health\u2019s assessment has become more detailed, Deen noted. The hospital system completed new surveys with community leaders and increased the amount of patient data used for the assessment.<\/p>\n Through a more holistic analysis, Texas Health identified several nonmedical drivers of health to target for the next three years, Deen said, highlighting transportation and lack of connection. In Tarrant and Parker counties, 11% and 8% of adults reported a lack of transportation access, respectively. In terms of connectedness, 35% of Tarrant County adults and 34% of Parker County adults reported feeling isolated.<\/p>\n Although no specific plans are in place yet, the health assessment mentioned travel vouchers and rideshare partnerships to combat transportation barriers, as well as child care and programs for older adults to solve concerns of isolation.<\/p>\n The health assessment is the fifth Texas Health has produced since 2012. All nonprofit health systems are required to create the report every three years.<\/p>\n Ismael M. Belkoura is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at ismael.belkoura@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n