Impact the future of healthcare on Delmarva

TidalHealth is always working to improve the health of the communities it serves – and the Delmarva community has an opportunity to share its input and make an impact.  

The Community Health Needs Assessment is happening now, with an online survey open until Jan. 30, 2025. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and is available in several languages. There are also related focus groups and meetings for community members during January.  

TidalHealth is working with the Wicomico County and Somerset County health departments on this initiative, which will look at healthcare across Wicomico, Somerset and Worcester counties in Maryland and Sussex County in Delaware.  

“It’s like a community health check-up,” said Katherine Rodgers, director of community health initiatives at TidalHealth.  

Survey information 

People ages 18 and older from the four-county area can anonymously answer some demographic questions, as well as questions about the health of their community and their own habits relating to health, health problems and visiting providers. 

The process happens every three years, and a team looks at the survey results, along with other community data, to determine how to prioritize strategies and resources, Rodgers said.  

It’s important for community members to have a say in the priorities for the area, which in 2022 were access and health equity, behavioral health, and chronic disease and wellness.   

“Everybody’s voice counts when it comes to this,” Rodgers said.  

Focus groups and meetings 

People can also share their thoughts as part of virtual focus groups. These will be offered on the following dates and times. Register to attend one of these groups here.

There are also in-person community health meetings for members of communities within our area. To attend one of these, register by emailing [email protected].  

In addition to the survey, focus groups and community meetings, leaders within different communities are also interviewed, Rodgers said.  

Rodgers expects the report will be published in June, and then the plan would be published in late summer or early fall. The plan will be approved by TidalHealth’s Board of Directors and local health improvement coalitions.  

There will also be some areas that overlap with other Community Health Needs Assessments in the region, she said, but the organizations can look at each other’s plans to see if the data aligns.  

Past successes 

There are many examples of initiatives that have resulted from Community Health Needs Assessments. Rodgers said one is TidalHealth’s Graduate Medical Education program, which will help with a provider shortage in the area. The Church Street location of a new clinic where residents will practice, the TidalHealth Edward Q. Wilgus Community Clinic, was identified as an area that needed healthcare services because there’s a lack of transportation in that area, she said. 

Another example she gave is the work TidalHealth does with sending team members to help with medical needs on Smith Island. 

Ready to share your input? Visit TidalHealth.org to learn more.