Community Health Needs Assessments and Implementation Plans
Memorial Hermann Health System is committed to improving health through trusted partnerships, with a vision to create healthier communities for future generations. Guided by values of community, compassion, credibility and courage, Memorial Hermann strives to ensure equitable access to care and support for all individuals.
As a non-profit organization providing a community benefit and in compliance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Memorial Hermann conducted the 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) to identify and prioritize the most pressing health challenges across its nine-county service area, which includes 17* hospitals and serves more than 7.1 million residents. This comprehensive assessment incorporates primary and secondary data, community surveys and interviews with healthcare professionals as well as community leaders to guide strategic planning and improve community health outcomes.
The following seven health priorities for the Greater Houston community emerged and have been prioritized according to their community impact, the feasibility of addressing these needs, available resources, potential partnerships and existing community initiatives:
- Access to Health Care
- Chronic Conditions
- Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health
- Mental Health & Substance Use
- Access to Healthy Food
- Economic Stability
- Education & Health Literacy
The ability of individuals to obtain timely and appropriate medical services remains a top concern, with 35% of survey respondents identifying it as the most critical missing factor. Provider shortages and affordability were key barriers identified for inhibiting access to health care.
Health issues that last for a year or more and require ongoing medical attention or that limit daily activities are a major driver of increased health care costs. Obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol are prevalent and are the survey respondents’ top concerns.
This area of health care aims to ensure healthy pregnancies and deliveries and a healthy start for infants. It encompasses prenatal care, management of pregnancy complications, as well as neonatal and pediatric medicine.
Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological and social well-being throughout every stage of life. It affects individuals’ ability to cope with stress, relate to others and make choices. Mental illness often coexists with substance use and can drive higher suicide rates. Mental health was a top concern for 27% of survey respondents.
Food insecurity—when people lack the means to consume nutritious food—has been shown to lead to various health issues, including obesity and diabetes. Addressing food access challenges requires a multifaceted approach, including improving transportation, supporting local food systems and expanding food assistance programs.
Economic stability is characterized by low inflation, steady output growth and a stable financial system.
Health literacy, shaped by education, is the ability to access, understand, evaluate and apply health information to make informed decisions about one's health. It’s essential for navigating the health care system, understanding medical instructions and making healthy lifestyle choices. Higher levels of education generally lead to better health literacy skills, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (.gov).
Over the next three years, Memorial Hermann will use the 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment to further address these health priorities. This new report structure provides insight to inform Memorial Hermann as a whole about the community’s health-related concerns. Previously, Memorial Hermann used the Community Health Needs Assessment to develop Strategic Implementation Plans (SIPs) to establish goals, objectives and strategies that addressed each hospital’s specific service area and populations served. In 2022, these reports were individualized for the following facilities:
- Memorial Hermann - Texas Medical Center
- Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital
- Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital
- Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital
- Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center
- Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital - Katy
- Memorial Hermann Surgical Hospital First Colony
- Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center
- Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital
- Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital
- Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital
- TIRR Memorial Hermann
- Memorial Hermann Surgical Hospital Kingwood
We Welcome Your Feedback
If you have any feedback on the Community Health Needs Assessment and/or Implementation Plan, please send your comments to communityhealth@memorialhermann.org.
Paper copies are available without charge.
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