Local Providers Call Back Individuals to Respond to Questions
WATERTOWN, NY — Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization (FDRHPO), in collaboration with its healthcare partners across the region, has launched a new initiative for North Country residents to submit their COVID vaccine-related questions online to be answered by a call-back from a local medical provider.
“The online submission of questions is a continuation of the August call-in event, led by Samaritan Medical Center, in which local providers from the tri-county region manned phones to answer questions from the community,” explains Joanna Loomis, FDRHPO and Deputy Director of North County Initiative. “The volume of calls during that event was much greater than expected, which indicates to us that there are still questions out there. This campaign provides an online opportunity for individuals to ask questions by submitting an online form.”
Local physicians – including primary care, pediatrics, OB/Gyn – have committed their time to returning calls and answering questions. Several FDRHPO partner organizations have helped guide the direction of this campaign, including public health agencies, hospitals, health centers, and community-based organizations.
Once the online webform is completed and submitted, a local provider will call the individual within 24-48 business hours to answer their questions and provide medical/scientific information to assist that individual in making an informed decision.
“This campaign is one more opportunity for individuals to seek scientific, medical evidence about the vaccine’s safety and efficacy by having a one-on-one conversation with a local medical professional,” continues Mrs. Loomis. “It is okay to have questions about the vaccine, and we encourage anyone with questions to speak with their personal medical provider. However, this option is available for those who do not have a provider or otherwise prefer this method of asking questions.”
“We understand that getting the COVID vaccine is a personal choice,” concludes Erika Flint, Executive Director of FDHPO. “We want to support people with resources to help them make an informed decision – one based on science rather than the opinions of peers or politics.”
The webform for the community to submit questions can be accessed by clicking HERE. Since providers will be calling back, individuals are encouraged to accept the call even if the number is unrecognized.