Better relationships with health-care providers and better access to services were among the top issues outlined by Hope and Agassiz residents during two community engagement events in December, 2018.
On Dec. 4 and 6, people from the Fraser Health Rural area were invited to share their thoughts on the future of health care in the region. It was part of a move toward an “integrated primary care network,” a kind of health care that consolidates medical services into a single network or location.
At the events, residents were asked about their thoughts on several topics that are key to integrated care: access and attachment, cultural safety and humility, and comprehensiveness.
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For local residents across the region, many concerns stemmed from the high turnover of physicians in the community and the lack of continuity with service providers. According to a report released by the Chilliwack Division of Family Practice and Fraser Health about the events, many residents aren’t willing to leave doctors in other communities for one in Agassiz who may leave after two years.
Internationally-trained doctors are able to work in Canada on a two-year contract, which is a barrier to creating stable relationships with patients. Residents said there needed to be better retention efforts and better succession planning to avoid these issues. The difficulty of transferring electronic medical records between doctors added to these concerns.
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In Hope, transportation was at the top of residents’ concerns. Many residents have to travel to receive medical attention, and limitations on the area’s bus service often make that difficult.
Solutions such as extending Care Transit or creating a HandyDART-like service to transport patients were mentioned during the event, but others also brought up the idea of “virtual care” which would allow residents to receive some kinds of care from their home.
Hope residents also said there was a need for more services at the Fraser Canyon Hospital. Also, people expressed a desire for extended hours, shorter wait times, longer appointments, but what the result of this public engagement will be, remains to be seen.
“Achieving the attributes of the Primary Care Network is a long-term journey,” read the report. “This information provided by residents … is only the first step in information the Fraser Health Rural service plan.”
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