A focus group researching patient access care for inflammatory bowel disease made its’ last stop in Williams Lake Wednesday evening at the Central Cariboo Arts Centre.
“It went really well,” said patient engagement researcher Sandra Zelinsky.
“We actually had the best turnout from all the focus groups we did across Canada so that fantastic. Great group, super engaged and we got to learn a lot from the rural perspective. We had 20 which is quite large for a focus group. It was great.”
Zelinsky who has been traveling across the country since September working on the 4-year project with a gastroenterologist from Dalhousie University in Halifax was also in Victoria and Vancouver for focus group discussions earlier this week.
She says they will now work to compile all the information from the Canadians they have spoken with and look for gaps and common themes to hopefully make some improvements in accessing care for inflammatory bowel disease.
“I think there are a lot of gaps and challenges that people are facing in the Williams Lake area,” Zelinksy said.
“I don’t want to say all of rural B.C because we spoke to specifically people in Williams Lake, but certainly they have challenges. I think there are gaps in knowledge, some of the healthcare staff that they encounter, they have to travel a lot, wait times-these are all the types of things that come up in regards for them trying to get some care for inflammatory bowel disease.”