- What is the Primary Care Survey?
- What is the purpose of this survey?
- What is primary care?
- Why is it important to have a survey about primary care?
- Who can take part in this survey?
- Who is conducting the Primary Care Survey?
- When will the data collection take place and for how long?
- What kind of questions does the survey ask?
- How does the NBHC protect personal information?
- How are the survey answers used?
- Can health care staff also participate in this survey?
- What is the difference between this year’s primary care survey and the primary health surveys that NBHC conducted in previous years?
- Who do I call if I have any questions or concerns?
1. WHAT IS THE PRIMARY CARE SURVEY?
The Primary Care Survey is a telephone and/or online survey run by the New Brunswick Health Council. The Survey asks New Brunswick citizens about their access to and experiences with family doctors, nurse practitioners, emergency departments, after hours clinics, Tele-care 811, pharmacists, mental health services, and virtual care.
2. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS SURVEY?
Citizens should be given the chance to express their opinions about the health care services they receive. The Primary Care Survey asks citizens about:
- The availability of primary care services, like family doctors, nurse practitioners, and more, in their region;
- The accessibility of the primary care services that are available to them; and
- Their experiences with the primary care services they received
The results from this Survey will be made publicly available on the NBHC website. They will also help us better understand what is being done well and what could be done better in primary care in New Brunswick.
3. WHAT IS PRIMARY CARE?
Primary care is usually a person’s first point of contact with the health care system It is essential to helping citizens remain healthy, preventing illnesses, and managing chronic health conditions like asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or others
Primary care providers include family doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, and other health professionals like dietitians, physiotherapists, and social workers.
4. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A SURVEY ABOUT PRIMARY CARE?
Primary care services affect the lives of all New Brunswick citizens in many ways. It is important for New Brunswickers to understand how primary care services are being delivered and whether access to these services is improving. This Survey is an opportunity for New Brunswickers in all regions to share their experiences.
Access to primary care was identified as a strategic area of focus by the Government of New Brunswick. As a result, various initiatives have been put in place to improve access to primary care services. Asking citizens about their access to and experiences with these services can help drive improvements in primary care services for everyone in New Brunswick.
5. WHO CAN TAKE PART IN THIS SURVEY?
Residents of New Brunswick who are 18 years of age or older, and who live in a private household, may be selected to respond to the Primary Care Survey.
Participation is voluntary.
Unfortunately, not everyone who is eligible to participate will be selected. The NBHC uses a random sampling method for the Primary Care Survey. This means that individuals are chosen at random and asked to answer the questionnaire over the phone or online.
The New Brunswick Health Council is committed to actively engaging citizens in health service quality improvement. Even if you do not get a call to participate in this survey, there will be other opportunities for you to voice your opinions about the health care system.
6. WHO IS CONDUCTING THE PRIMARY CARE SURVEY?
The 2022 Primary Care Survey is being conducted by Advanis Inc., an independent research company, on behalf of the New Brunswick Health Council (NBHC)
The New Brunswick Health Council (NBHC) is an independent organization that measures, monitors and evaluates New Brunswick’s health care system performance and population health, and engages citizens in the improvement of health service quality.
7. WHEN WILL THE DATA COLLECTION TAKE PLACE AND FOR HOW LONG?
Calls to complete the Primary Care Survey will start in October 2022 and will continue until January 2023.
8. WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS DOES THE SURVEY ASK?
The survey asks New Brunswickers about:
- How healthy they are
- If they have a regular healthcare provider, how quickly they can get an appointment when they are sick or need medical attention
- Their preferred language when receiving health care services
- Their experiences with health services received from a primary care provider
- Their experiences if they do not have a permanent primary care provider
- Their experiences with virtual care
- Their experiences with mental health services
- If they have chronic health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease)
- Information about their age, income level, education, postal code, and race.
9. HOW DOES THE NBHC PROTECT PERSONAL INFORMATION?
Answers are kept strictly confidential and are combined with others for public reporting. All the necessary steps are taken to ensure that the information collected from the Primary Care Survey is protected and secure. The survey adheres to the privacy laws of New Brunswick under the Personal Health Information Privacy and Access Act (PHIPAA - www.gnb.ca/0051/acts). Doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers will not know how individual participants responded. Respondents have the option to skip any question on the survey if they are not comfortable answering it.
10. HOW ARE THE SURVEY ANSWERS USED?
The responses from this Survey help us understand the difficulties citizens experience when in need of health services. The results guide our work to keep citizens informed about progress in health service quality, as well as shape our recommendations to the Minister of Health.
Based on the Survey results, the New Brunswick Health Council provides information that enables stakeholders (like the Government of New Brunswick, Regional Health Authorities and communities) to identify priorities and develop plans to improve health service quality.
11. CAN HEALTH CARE STAFF ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SURVEY?
Yes. Health care providers also receive services from the health care system. This Survey is an opportunity for everyone to have their say as a citizen of New Brunswick.
12. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS YEAR’S PRIMARY CARE SURVEY AND THE PRIMARY HEALTH SURVEYS THAT NBHC CONDUCTED IN PREVIOUS YEARS?
This year’s Primary Care Survey is a shorter version of the previous surveys. It focuses on experiences (for example: timely access) with primary care providers such as family doctors and nurse practitioners. This edition of the Survey also has questions on virtual care.
13. WHO DO I CALL IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS?
If you have any questions or would like to have more information about this Survey or its results, please call the toll-free number 1-877-225-2521.