A new collaboration has been formed between the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and family physician's offices in Southwest 5. 

The collaboration allows residents to participate in a crucial health survey called Understanding Patient Reported Outcome Measures in Swift Current. 

This survey is an essential aspect of the Primary Health Care Redesign aimed at enhancing patient care and improving the quality of healthcare services within the community. 

Curtis Newton, Director of Primary Healthcare for Southwest 5, shed light on the importance of this survey.  

“What we're looking at is the patient-reported quality of life and this survey is based on a patient-reported outcome measure called the EQ5D,’ he explained. “The EQ5D is used around the world to help guide patient care and patient outcome. It asks questions basically around 5 measures: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain, anxiety, and depression. And then there is a visual analog scale which is almost like a thermometer of how people can rate their perceived health.” 

The main goal of this survey is to get an understanding of how Swift Current residents perceive their health and their quality of life.  

“What this does is helps to guide us when we're doing some health planning as well as evaluating health outcomes of interventions that we're working on in Swift Current from a patient perspective,” Newton elaborated. So, we're really interested in how the patients perceive their health-related, quality of life and then how interventions that we will or are starting in healthcare have an impact on that overtime.  

“This is just a starting point for us of looking at Swift Current, the population, and how they perceive their health and their health-related quality of life.” 

One key factor is how the collected data will translate into real-world improvements in healthcare.  

“What we're trying to do with some of the changes coming forward, is to wrap services around the patient,” he clarified. “Based on some of the recommendations, provincially we are starting on some of these initiatives and changing the way we provide service to allow for greater access for patients to family doctors as well as other healthcare providers.” 

Posters promoting the survey have been placed in doctors' offices in Swift Current, as well as in various healthcare facilities, including the emergency room, therapy services, and public health centers.  

For those who prefer paper copies, they are also available at these same locations and completed paper surveys will be entered into the database. 

The survey will remain open until October 1, allowing ample time for residents to participate. 

Complete the survey HERE. 

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