Health Care District conducting a health care needs assessment

||| FROM TOM EVERSOLE, ACTING HEALTH CARE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT |||

Orcas Island Health Care District (OIHCD) is developing a strategic plan to guide them in developing needed services. A first step in the process to engage Orcas Islanders is to learn the types of services we need and use. Commissioners are working with a consultant, Health Facilities Planning & Development in Seattle, to review existing data, design and collect survey data and conduct focus groups and listening sessions in order to understand health care patterns and preferences of local residents.

The work will use various engagement methods over several phases. Phase 1, which will kick-off the week of May 23, includes a telephone survey reaching out to elderly residents and others with land lines as well as an online survey. All will be available in both English and Spanish. The District seeks the help of key employers, schools, the clinic, civic and community groups to encourage folks in their networks to take the survey online. Additionally, paper copies of the survey may be obtained and returned at local venues including Orcas Island Library, Ray’s Pharmacy, the Food Bank, and Orcas Community Resource
Center.

The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete. It is critically important that OIHCD Commissioners hear from island residents as results will be used to determine which sorts of health care services need to be maintained, strengthened, expanded, or started. The assessment will be used to inform future budget decisions.

Phase 2 will feature a series of focus groups to learn more about issues discovered in the surveys. Focus groups will include 10-12 residents per group.

Information gathering will take place throughout May and June. A committee of commissioners will review initial results and receive a briefing of high-level results and their implications for the community. Based on those results, more focused data will be collected, and the commissioners will create a draft strategic plan. That draft plan will be presented to the community for public comment. Once adopted by the Board of Commissioners, the final plan will guide them as they undertake the development work ahead.

The survey is available on-line in English and in Spanish.

For more information, please contact OIHCD Interim Superintendent Tom Eversole at TomE@orcashealth.org

Encuesta del Distrito de Atención Médica 2022
¡¡¡TU OPINION IMPORTA!!!

Su Distrito de Atención Médica de la Isla Orcas (OIHCD) está trabajando en un plan estratégico para construir el sistema de atención médica que la isla necesita y desea. Si usted es residente de Orcas, necesitamos su opinión en esta encuesta para desarrollar planes y un presupuesto para lo que usted cree que necesitamos. La encuesta dura más o menos 15 minutos. Por favor complete la encuesta en línea en: www.surveymonkey.com/r/6SLM86Y?lang=es Puede recoger (y devolver) una copia imprimida de la encuesta en: La Biblioteca de OI, Ray’s Pharmacy, El Banco de Comida y Centro de Recursos Comunitarios de Orcas. ¡¡¡GRACIAS!!!