ABSTRACT
Once we have the voice of the community and understand what the community wants, it is time to look at what resources we have collectively as a coalition to satisfy those desires. This can be accomplished using a community health sacrifice gap diagram, a graphic display of the gap that exists between the current state of a community health issue, what is being done to improve it, what is being delivered for care and prevention, and what is really needed. The gap can be described as a community health sacrifice gap, where the patients’ desires and needs regarding the health issue the coalition is trying to improve are not being met. In most cases the patients have no other place to go for services and must accept what is available, which does not always meet their needs; this is the sacrifice. Understanding the sacrifice gap will help the coalition address it and improve health services to the community.
