2013 Community Engagement Survey results

During the first half of 2013, the Community Engagement Committee conducted an anonymous survey of our community members. We e-mailed this survey to over 1600 individuals, posted it on the Department website between November 2012 and July 2013, and made it available at a computer kiosk at the PABC/CPA Forum 2013. The survey consisted of 13 questions aimed at gaining insight into how to facilitate and maintain our connection with the physiotherapy community. This was a non-scientific survey that only reflects the views of individuals who chose to respond, and several questions were intended to elicit creative, open-ended responses. We received 294 completed surveys. Thank you to those of you who provided feedback.

Survey results have pinpointed a gap in our communication with our community.  Several of the open-ended responses contained suggestions we provide items, events and resources which are already available. For example our website does provide resources to improve clinical decision making and clinical education. Our faculty members also provide resources appropriate to their area of research on their websites (links to these sites are available from the Research area of  this site). Events that would be of interest to our community are also posted on our website in the clinical education and news sections.

Further evidence of our need to improve communication was revealed with 59% of respondents reporting they were minimally aware or not aware at all about what is happening in the UBC Department of PT. Most of those who were aware of Department news stated that they received their information from the Department newsletter, while only 21% reported visiting our website within the last month. Many were satisfied with getting information from the newsletters, but a large number (60%) preferred to receive email communications (although the requested frequency of email communications varied widely).  Surprisingly social media was only suggested by 7% of respondents. You can subscribe to a RSS feed off our website and new content from the news section will be automatically downloaded to your computer so you can stay abreast of what is happening in the Department.

A majority of those who took the survey listed workshops/seminars and educational events as desired resources which would improve their connectedness to UBC PT.  Most of our efforts in providing continuing education occur in partnership with the Physiotherapy Association of BC (PABC) with faculty members and research trainees presenting in webinars and workshops hosted by PABC. Recently, UBC Faculty of Medicine, Continuing Professional Development in partnership with PABC has begun a province wide initiative to identify and address continuing education needs for physiotherapists in BC.  We, in partnership with PABC, will utilize the knowledge gained by this initiative to plan future continuing professional development opportunities.

Our survey indicated that education regarding research participation options is desired by clinicians; the desire to participate in research was expressed by 60% of respondents, but only 35% were involved in research activities and only 28% were aware of the UBC PT Research Collaboration Registry.  The intent of the registry is to provide a mechanism for researchers, administrators and clinicians to identify potential collaborators for research projects within specific areas of practice. In response to our survey we have posted some information on the different ways clinicians can participate in research.  Visit A Research Participation Road Map

The community engagement committee and the PT faculty will be making additional efforts to address the issues identified by the survey, and are in the process of developing more resources for our community.  Please return to our website or subscribe to our RSS feed to follow our progress. We appreciate your feedback so please feel free to contact us at pt.newsletter@ubc.ca if you have specific suggestions.