Health and Community Stakeholders

Different communities experience different health issues specific to their demographic and therefore it is of utmost importance to incorporate different community stakeholders for collective decision making to ensure effective solutions are integrated. Community stakeholder engagement has an important role to play in the health reform process, and intervention to provide all individuals and groups are represented and included. Schiavo (2016) defines a community as a group of people sharing common beliefs, culture or the same geographical location. Community stakeholders of any particular interest usually represent a myriad of benefits. In the healthcare community, stakeholders will include patients, the family of patients, healthcare providers, and the local government. When done accurately, those involved should identify community champions that would drive these programs and ensure that objectives get achieved.

Champions ensure people remain focused and prevent wastage of allocated resources. Moreover, active engagement involves proper communication and management of expectations of community members to allow smooth running of programs and ensure support (AHRQ, 2014). In Williamsbridge in the Bronx, studies show that one person in five lives below the poverty line as stipulated by the Federal government (New York Health Department, 2015). One of the most significant health concerns in the community is obesity which leads to diabetes, heart attacks, stroke and cancer (New York Health Department, 2015). The process of collation involves community health assessment where one defines different elements of the community, in this case, it is the Williamsbridge community affected by obesity. Data collection on the demographic particulars, health indicators, and other relevant data serves an essential role in the process of health reform.