Survey to gauge local health-care needs

Flathead County residents soon may be receiving Community Needs Health Assessment surveys in the mail to gauge health-care needs for the community.

North Valley Hospital, Kalispell Regional Healthcare and the Flathead City-County Health Department are again asking for the community’s input on  health needs.

The information collected from completed surveys will be used for “strategic planning, grant applications, development of new programs and recruitment of medical providers needed to address the area’s top health issues.”

The three local organizations will be assisted in the survey by the National Rural Health Resource Center of Duluth, Minnesota. The survey process is designed to maintain quality health care to serve current and future needs of the community.

“Conducting this research together with North Valley Hospital and Kalispell Regional Healthcare means that we are all working collaboratively and towards the same set of goals identified in the community research,” said Hillary Hanson, Deputy Health Officer of the Flathead City-County Health Department. 

“It creates a basis for common understanding and the development of plans to address the community’s needs, within each entity’s mission and scope, which reduces redundancies and enhances the breadth of health service coverage.”

The last time the three organizations did the survey was three years ago.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.