Virginia Gazette: Sentara Williamsburg launches Historic Triangle-area community survey

Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center is surveying the Historic Triangle community this fall to better understand residents’ views on health equity and care access.

The survey is being distributed by the hospital’s Community Council, said Loren Smith, vice president of operations for Sentara Williamsburg. The 21-member committee was created to help hospital leaders understand public views on patient experience and health outcomes. It is made up of the hospital’s advisory board, which includes representatives from local nonprofits as well as faith-based and government agencies.

Questions for the survey were submitted by council members, a process led by the Rev. Fred Liggin, the pastor of Williamsburg Christian Church and co-founder of 3e Restoration. He also serves as chairperson for the committee.

It’s important for hospitals to not just care for their neighbors, but to also listen to them — “especially those whose voices have been historically marginalized, so every neighbor is seen and heard,” Liggin said in a news release.

Two William & Mary professors helped draft the survey. Elyas Bakhtiari, associate professor of sociology, and Scott Ickes, assistant professor in child nutrition and social epidemiology, took committee questions to identify barriers to care based on the community’s perspective. Two William & Mary students were also recruited to support by looking at survey data and providing feedback.

The survey is seen as an opportunity to listen to and understand lived experiences in the community so that the hospital can be a healing place for everyone, Smith said.

“By fostering strong community partnerships, we can create more inclusive pathways to care and better support the health and well-being of every person who turns to us,” Smith said.