The Huron-Perth and Area Ontario Health Team (HPA-OHT) has introduced a new platform for public engagement.
Nicole Vlasman, who leads Marketing and Communications for the health team, explains that the purpose of this platform is to gather feedback from the community on how healthcare will change in the region over the next few years. She mentions that this initiative coincides with the health team’s development of a new strategic plan, and there are important healthcare questions they want to explore through a survey.
“We’re asking very basic questions like when you think about your health, what helps you stay well? What works for you? What does good access to healthcare mean? That is a straight up survey question we have and you can click multiple options for that,” Vlasman said. “We also ask things like what are the biggest issues you face when it comes to your care? If you needed help and it wasn’t an emergency, where would you turn to first? Would it be a family doctor, an emergency department? So letting us know where that point of access is for you.”
The survey is currently available on the new platform (https://yourvoice. hpaoht. ca/strategic-plan). Vlasman adds that it will be open until Wednesday, May 6, but the platform will provide many other chances for people to give feedback about local healthcare in Huron and Perth.
Vlasman also highlights that while this initial survey includes some direct multiple choice questions, there are sections where respondents can share their thoughts on other topics as well.
“What does prevention in healthcare mean for you? What would a great local health and community care system look like to you? And also what would make you feel confident in the system and that it’s working well for you and your family? All of those things are covered in the survey,” she said.
Members of HPA‑OHT’s Patient, Family, and Caregiver Advisory Council (PFAC) were instrumental in shaping how this platform came together. A press release from the health team states that the engagement platform was designed to “be used to support ongoing, system‑level engagement as HPA‑OHT advances strategic planning and future initiatives.”
For those without digital access, they can reach out to HPA‑OHT by phone at 519‑274‑0609 to find out alternative ways to share their views.
“This is about hearing directly from the people who live here-patients, caregivers, families, and community members-before decisions are made,” shared Joëlle Lamport‑Lewis, Director of HPA‑OHT. “As we define our future priorities, community insight is essential to building a health system that is responsive, connected, and grounded in local needs.”
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