Haywood Regional Medical Center (HRMC) hosted a diverse group of community partners today for “Healthy Horizons: A Mountain Community Health Summit”, a meaningful dialogue centered around advancing health and well-being in Haywood County. The event served as a key step in the hospital’s Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) process, providing an opportunity to share recent findings and begin shaping the next phase of health improvement initiatives.

The summit, held on the hospital campus, brought together local leaders to explore the most pressing health challenges facing the region. Based on data collected through the hospital’s CHNA, participants reviewed current trends in chronic disease, mental health, access to care, and the impact of social and economic factors on health outcomes.

“This summit was a chance for us to pause, reflect on what the data is telling us, and have real conversations about how we can move forward together,” said Sue Shugart, FACHE, CPPS, CEO of Haywood Regional Medical Center. “Today reinforced how much potential there is when community partners come to the table with a shared purpose.”

Attendees included representatives from local government, public health, education, nonprofit agencies, and emergency services, all contributing their expertise and insight to shape a collective response to community needs. Breakout discussions focused on identifying priority areas and brainstorming opportunities for cross-sector collaboration.

The CHNA process, which is conducted every three years, informs the hospital’s strategies for addressing health disparities and improving access to care. HRMC remains committed to its mission of making communities healthier and its vision of being a place where patients choose to come for care, providers want to practice, and employees want to work.

To learn more about the CHNA findings or get involved in future initiatives, MyHaywoodRegional.com.