The next time the phone rings, make sure you pick up.

Cranford home owners are being asked to partake in a phone survey that will help decide how the area’s healthcare needs can be met. While some may think that the answers can be found with more funding, it’s deciding how to use the existing funding that the decision makers really want to know about.

Technically, with this survey, all of Cranford home owners can become those decision makers. Eleven hospitals have joined with each other to see how thousands of residents can help them decide what parts of the system need a little more focus than others. Over 3,000 homes are being targeted for the survey, spanning Morris, Sussex, Middlesex, and more.

The questions are specifically designed to ascertain the health needs of the communities. With that data the hospitals hope to determine what portions of their operations are lacking in accordance with the community needs. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a new federal law, cites that these hospitals are required to perform this kind of assessment every three years.

A firm in Pennsylvania will be conducting the survey. Their 717 area code may be what shows up on your Caller ID. They are to report their findings from the health assessments, which in turn will determine how hospitals should adjust their operations.

Questions could include access to healthcare, your risk factors like smoking and drinking, level of exercise, health awareness, and current health conditions. At no point will your personal identity information be collected, allowing for the answers to remain anonymous.

You can actually schedule a time for your survey to take place, instead of relying on a random phone call from the assessment company. Simply call 1-800-218-6468 to participate. Calls will continue through June of this year.

This is your opportunity if you are a Cranford home owner to get involved in how your healthcare is handled. When the phone rings, make sure you answer so that you can participate in the survey process. Take control of your health, your life, and your future by helping to determine how the healthcare system in your area will be developed.