Residents across the Rainy River District are being asked to complete a survey and attend a number of town halls across the region to share their healthcare experiences and help identify priorities that will guide future planning across the district.
Rainy River District Health Care Matters, a public engagement campaign from the Rainy River District Ontario Health Team (RRDOHT), is aimed at discovering what is working well, where people are struggling and what needs to change, the health team said in a press release.
The campaign will begin with a district-wide survey that is open today at rrdoht.ca/healthcarematters, and conclude with four community town halls in the final stages.
“We need people to add their voices because their experiences show us where the biggest priorities really are,” said Amanda Roy, communications lead for the RRDOHT. “The healthcare leaders around the RRDOHT table serve these communities every day, and what residents tell us will help shape planning, priorities and advocacy efforts.”
The team said it is reaching out to residents because “with 10 municipalities and 10 First Nation communities spread across a large geographic area, healthcare experiences can look very different depending on where someone lives and the services they need.”
The survey, available online from Sept. 16 to Nov. 20, is asking people for their thoughts on access to care, travel, navigating the health system, quality and coordination of care, primary care, home care, mental health and addictions and the services and supports residents need.
Paper copies will be mailed to every household and postal box in the district to make sure there are no barriers to participation. Residents are asked to fill out just one survey per individual. More specific instructions on multiple submissions in a household are included in the package.
Those who complete the survey online by Oct. 20 will be eligible to win one of 100 $25 gift certificates for use at a local or regional business. Participants must live in the Rainy River District and provide contact information in the survey to be entered.
The town halls will be held in:
- Atikokan: Oct. 20 at the Atikokan Legion, 115 O’Brien St.
- Emo: Oct. 21 at the Emo Legion, 123 Jessie St.
- Fort Frances: Oct. 22 at the Memorial Sportsplex Auditorium, 740 Scott St.
- Rainy River: Date and Location to be determined.
Times and additional details will be updated on the website as they are confirmed. These interactive sessions will build on the survey, allowing residents to share stories and talk about real-life healthcare successes, challenges and barriers.
“Everyone is encouraged to take part in both opportunities to share,” said Jackie Park, RRDOHT Executive Lead. “The feedback we get through the survey and Town Halls will be reviewed with support from Western Management Consultants to identify common themes and priorities. We will bring that information back to our community members to make sure these themes accurately reflect what they value.”
