In the current environment, hospitals and health systems need to leverage community assessments to produce value beyond compliance with governmental requirements. They need analyses that are rigorous, actionable, and aligned with strategic planning, community benefit priorities, and patient expectations.

With awareness of these needs as guiding principles, Dobson | DaVanzo helps clients design and execute Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs) and other community assessments by integrating quantitative analysis of reliable secondary data with insights gained through engagement with residents and key informants that represent the entire community. Hospitals and health systems also need support to develop Implementation Strategies and other strategic plans that recognize current community benefit activities, as well to consider new ones.

Our team collaborates with clients to identify and prioritize community health needs, understand the drivers behind those needs, and translate findings into practical next steps. We support clients through every stage of the process, from data collection and community engagement to final reporting and development of regulatory-compliant Implementation Strategies.

Our Capabilities

Dobson | DaVanzo brings deep experience in community assessment, financial modeling, and narrative development to help health systems produce meaningful, decision-ready assessments. We bring decades of combined experience developing assessments and crafting strategic plans.

Quantitative Secondary Data Analysis
We collect, organize, and analyze a wide range of data relevant to community health, including health behaviors, outcomes, utilization patterns, socioeconomic factors, and other community indicators. Our work draws on sources such as CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the U.S. Census Bureau. These analyses help clients identify trends, compare local conditions to benchmarks, and better understand the communities they serve.

Community Engagement and Primary Research
Perspectives of community members are a central part of effective needs assessment work. Our team has conducted hundreds of key informant interviews, focus groups, surveys, and other data collection activities with community stakeholders, providers, local leaders, and residents. We develop interview guides and discussion tools that help clients gather meaningful qualitative input and document community perspectives in a structured and credible way.

Needs Prioritization and Strategic Guidance
Dobson | DaVanzo helps clients evaluate and prioritize community health needs across service areas and populations. Our team has developed prioritization approaches for county-wide and community-specific health and social service assessments, helping clients move from findings to action. We strive to align community benefit initiatives, operational plans, and strategic visions with regulatory expectations.

Narrative Development and Reporting
We translate complex analysis into clear, accessible reports for multiple audiences. Our CHNA reports are designed to support tax-exempt hospitals in meeting compliance obligations, informing internal decision-making, and communicating findings to interested parties within the community. Our team synthesizes primary and secondary research into narratives that are evidence-based, readable, and tailored to each client’s goals.

Analytical Depth That Strengthens Needs Assessments

In addition to CHNAs and community assessments, Dobson | DaVanzo brings broader experience in financial and utilization modeling that can strengthen strategic planning. Our team has developed models related to long-term service demand, insurance coverage impacts, Medicare and Medicaid expenditures, and health care utilization under different demographic and policy scenarios. This foundation allows us to bring added perspective when clients want to connect community needs with service planning, investment decisions, or longer-term market trends.

How We Support Health Systems

Dobson | DaVanzo helps health systems produce Community Health Needs Assessments and other community assessments by:

• Analyzing health, demographic, and socioeconomic data from multiple sources;
• Engaging community representatives to gather and synthesize local perspectives;
• Prioritizing community health needs using structured methodologies; and
• Developing clear, compliant CHNA reports and Implementation Strategies.