Community Health Needs Assessment

As a part of providing Community Health to enhance the health and well-being of the residents of the Greater Houston area, Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital is required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to identify the community’s health needs and strengths by conducting a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) to prioritize health issues, to provide a foundation for the development of a community health improvement plan and to assist community organizations in their program planning.

The most recent CHNA was conducted between August 2024 to May 2025 with the overall goal of identifying the major health care issues, barriers to access, and health priorities for those living in the Houston community. The CHNA findings in this report are drawn from the analysis of an extensive set of secondary data (over 200 indicators from national and state data sources) and in-depth primary data from community leaders, non-health professionals, and organizations serving the community at large, community-specific populations, and/or populations with unmet health needs.

In March 2025, stakeholders within the Memorial Hermann Health System completed a survey to prioritize the significant health issues, based on the criteria of ability to impact, scope and severity, and consideration within Memorial Hermann’s strategic focus. The following four Health Priorities have been identified for the Houston community:

• Access to Health Care: 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.
• Chronic Conditions: 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.
• Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health: 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 & Substance Use: 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. 
• Access to Healthy Food: 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: Economic stability is characterized by low inflation, steady output growth and a stable financial system. 
• Education & Health Literacy: 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).

The CHNA process culminates in the development of a Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) for each hospital to address the community’s significant needs identified through the CHNA and to align with a core set of Memorial Hermann Health System priorities. Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital utilizes the plan as a guide over the next three years to support the health of their community and advance the mission of the organization.

To Download the CHNA and Implementation Plan, click on the links below:

• Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital Implementation Plan (2022)
• Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital CHNA (2022)
• Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital CHNA (2022) – Appendix
• Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital Implementation Plan (2019)
• Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital CHNA (2019)

We Welcome Your Feedback

If you have any feedback on the Community Health Needs Assessment and/or Implementation Plan, please send your comments to Deborah.Ganelin@memorialhermann.org.

Paper copies are available without charge.