Q&A Recap: The Future of CHNAs — Technology, Time-Saving Tips, and Real Results

Community Health Assessments are a critical part of improving public health, but the traditional process can be time-consuming and complex. During Metopio’s recent webinar, we explored how technology is transforming CHNAs, making them more efficient and data-driven. 

We were honored to share in this discussion with Nichole Edmonds, Director of Community Benefit at Baylor Scott & White Health. Nichole leads her community health team and has a deep commitment to community, even lending her expertise in the classroom by teaching the next generation of leaders at DePaul University. 

Below, we’ve compiled some of Nichole’s answers to questions asked during our webinar.

1. What are the biggest time constraints in the CHNA process?

Nichole: Historically, the planning phase took the longest. Identifying data sources, coordinating primary and secondary data collection, and scheduling stakeholder engagement could take months. Before leveraging technology, we had to pull data manually from multiple sources and align it ourselves.

2. How has technology helped streamline CHNA workflows?

Nichole: Technology has made it significantly easier to access, analyze, and visualize data. With platforms like Metopio, we can benchmark health disparities, compare data across different geographic levels, and even stratify indicators by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status — all in a matter of clicks.

3. How did Baylor Scott & White use technology to improve community engagement?

Nichole: We leveraged virtual spaces like Zoom and Microsoft Teams to host focus groups and key informant interviews. This saved significant time and costs associated with travel and venue coordination. We also implemented AI-led key informant interviews, allowing hospital leaders to provide input at their convenience, increasing participation.

4. What are the benefits of aligning qualitative and quantitative data?

Nichole: Combining qualitative data from surveys and focus groups with quantitative secondary data gives us a complete picture of community health needs. We used technology to automatically analyze themes, making it easier to align community feedback with existing health data.

5. What role does AI play in the CHNA process?

Nichole: AI has been a game-changer, especially in automating data collection and analysis. For example, AI-assisted key informant interviews allowed us to collect valuable stakeholder input without the logistical challenges of scheduling in-person meetings.

6. How did you use data visualization to enhance decision-making?

Nichole: Interactive dashboards within Metopio allowed us to dynamically present health trends and disparities in real time. When hospital leaders had follow-up questions about specific indicators, we could pull up additional data instantly, rather than waiting weeks to generate new reports.

7. How did you streamline the prioritization process for identifying top health needs?

Nichole: Instead of holding multiple in-person meetings, we presented findings virtually, provided stakeholders with time to review data independently, and then conducted a structured online voting process through Outlook polls. This cut down the need for additional meetings and improved decision-making efficiency.

8. What are your top time-saving tips for CHNAs?

Nichole:

1. Use a data platform that consolidates all necessary data in one place.

2. Leverage virtual tools to expand stakeholder participation.

3. Align qualitative and quantitative data early in the process.

4. Implement AI tools for tasks like key informant interviews to reduce scheduling burdens.

5. Collaborate with other organizations to avoid duplicating efforts and reduce community survey fatigue.

9. How can CHNA insights be leveraged beyond reporting?

Nichole: CHNA data isn’t just for compliance — it’s a strategic asset. At Baylor Scott & White Health, we use insights from our CHNA process to inform health equity initiatives, guide hospital planning, and align our work with system-wide priorities.

10. What’s next in the evolution of CHNAs?

Nichole: We’re seeing more organizations move toward a continuous CHNA process rather than waiting for three-year cycles. With technology like Metopio, updating CHNA insights regularly is easier than ever, allowing health systems to be more proactive in addressing community needs.

Interested in learning more? Visit Metopio to explore how technology can streamline your CHNA process.