Health Dept., Hospital Seek Community Input for Health Assessment

Press release:

 The Rappahannock Area Health District (RAHD) and Mary Washington Healthcare (MWHC) invite community members aged 15 and older to take a quick, anonymous survey about important health issues. The survey is open to those who live in the City of Fredericksburg and Caroline, King George, Orange, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Stafford and Westmoreland counties.

“This is a great opportunity for community members to make their voices heard about the biggest health issues facing our area,” said RAHD Director Olugbenga Obasanjo, M.D. “We use this feedback to guide decisions about programs and services that are prioritized in our area. The results are taken very seriously by the health department, the healthcare system, and many other community-based organizations.”

The survey can be completed in English at https://redcap.link/CHAsurvey_PD16, or in Spanish at https://redcap.link/CHAencuesta_PD16 . Questions ask respondents to share their thoughts on the biggest health concerns facing the community as well as the greatest opportunities for health improvements. Demographic information is requested to ensure responses from different groups and geographic areas, but no identifiable information is requested. Upon completion of the survey, respondents will have the opportunity to enter a raffle for one of 20 $25 gift cards.

“We want to hear from as many community members as possible through this process,” said Xavier Richardson, senior vice president for MWHC. “Our residents see things impacting the health of our community that we may not see, and this is a great chance to help bring to light things not shown in other data sources.”

This survey is part of the broader Community Health Assessment (CHA) effort, which examines health issues including rates of disease, access to care, patterns of behavior, and social factors that contribute to health. Assessment results will inform the development of a five-year Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) based on community priorities.

Additional opportunities for feedback are also available through a series of focus groups taking place through mid-December. To learn more about focus group opportunities, please contact 540-899-4797 or rahd_ca…@vdh.virginia.gov.

For more information on the previous CHA and CHIP, please visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/rappahannock/fy23-fy25_cha-chip or www.marywashingtonhealthcare.com/foundations/community-benefit-fund.