Macon County 2021 Community Health Assessment Executive Summary

Community Results Statement

Macon County’s health matters.

Leadership and Partnership for the Community Health Assessment Process

During 2021-2022, Macon County Public Health, Angel Medical Center, and Highlands-Cashiers Hospital have facilitated the development of this comprehensive Community Health Assessment by engaging multiple organizations and community members; by outlining the need for certain decisions and interventions; and by creating a positive environment for discussion and change.

Regional/Contracted Services

Our county received support from WNC Healthy Impact, a partnership and coordinated process between hospitals, public health agencies, and key regional partners in western North Carolina working towards a vision of improved community health. We work together locally and regionally to assess health needs, develop collaborative plans, take action, and evaluate progress and impact. 

This innovative regional effort is coordinated and supported by WNC Health Network. WNC Health Network is the alliance of stakeholders working together to improve health and healthcare in western North Carolina. Learn more at www.WNCHN.org.

Theoretical Framework/Model

WNC Health Network provides local hospitals and public health agencies with tools and support to collect, visualize, and respond to complex community health data through Results-Based Accountability™ (RBA). RBA is a disciplined, common sense approach to thinking and acting with a focus on how people, agencies, and communities are better off for our efforts.

Collaborative Process Summary

Macon County’s collaborative process is supported on a regional level by WNC Healthy Impact.

Locally, the CHA team guides our process. This team reviews the data and provides input into health issues of concern. Data summaries for the identified health issues are then brought forth to the community, where health priorities are confirmed. Phase 1 of the collaborative process began in January 2021 with the collection of community health data. For more details on this process see Chapter 1 – Community Health Assessment Process.

Key Findings

The Community Health Assessment Coordinator with support from WNC Healthy Impact compiled a list of data filters to be used when viewing the data.  While reviewing the data health indicators were scored and ranked based on size and severity while taking into consideration any disparities that might be noted. It was very apparent that the top ten health indicators could be grouped into health issues of concern. Once the top issues of concern were determined a data summary document was created for each. 

The Community Health Assessment (CHA) Team then reviewed each data summary independently and as a group virtually to fill in any information gaps.  The CHA team was also instrumental in helping to shape the community prioritization meeting.

Community members met in May 2022.  During this time background information regarding types of data collected, the review process, the Community Health Assessment Teams role was provided.  Community members were able to review each data summary for the health issues of concern and ask questions or provide input.  Members then ranked the health issues based on impact and feasibility.  The group then discussed benefits and downsides of combining issues into the health priorities, keeping capacity to address each issue in mind.  Then members voted on how to structure the health priorities for the 2021 assessment.

For more details on this process see Chapter 1 – Community Health Assessment Process.

Health Priorities

Health Priority 1: Access to Care

Health Priority 2: Affordable Housing

Health Priority 3: Substance Abuse

Health Priority 4: Obesity

Next Steps

CHA leadership and partners will work with community members to better understand the story and root causes behind our priority health issues. New and existing partners will be engaged to help to do better on these issues.

We will identify what works to do better through research on evidence-based strategies, observing what is working in other communities, and engaging priority populations. Strategies will be selected, as well as performance measures to ensure that residents are better off because of them.

The Community Health Improvement plan will be developed as an electronic scorecard and published so that teams and the community at large can monitor progress.

Health Priorities

Health Priority 1: Access to Care

Health Priority 2: Affordable Housing

Health Priority 3: Substance Abuse

Health Priority 4: Obesity