Results of the primary health care survey will help Health PEI plan for and improve services for Islanders, says executive director, primary health care division, Deborah Bradley.
“We are very pleased that 12,000 people took the time to complete the survey, which was mailed to households Island-wide,” said Bradley. “The responses have been analysed, and this information will help ensure we are providing programs and services that meet the needs of Islanders. Primary health care is important because it is the first point of contact people have with the health system, such as family physician offices, health centres and walk-in clinics across the province.”
There were 63,000 copies of the survey mailed and 12,000 were completed – a 19 percent response rate. Questions were asked in five categories: community health services, preventative health, sharing of health information, management of chronic conditions, and personal Information.
Examples of findings from the multiple choice questions show that when Islanders need community health services, 81 percent go to their family doctor, 15 percent visit a walk-in clinic and four percent go to an emergency department. A total of 97 percent of respondents rated their mental health as positive and, of those with chronic conditions, 82 percent say they are confident they can manage their own health.
More than 3,600 respondents offered additional comments, which included praise for current primary health care services and staff, as well as suggestions on how services could be improved.
“I want to thank all of those who took part in the survey for providing valuable information to help guide us in future planning for primary health care services,“ Bradley said.
An analysis was also done to see if there are any strong differences in the needs of Islanders based on their gender, age category, and whether they live in an urban or rural area of the province.
To read the summary of the survey results, visit: healthpei.ca/pcsurveyresults.