Innovative approaches to addressing primary care for vulnerable populations in SK
SHA Research Scientist Mamata Pandey recently presented a 60-minute workshop entitled "Addressing the needs of vulnerable population in primary care through three Innovative Approaches in Saskatchewan, Canada" at the 23rdWorld Conference of Family Doctors 2021, hosted virtually at Abu Dhabi. She was the research lead on all the projects, which were carried out between 2016 and 2019.
Despite its universal healthcare system, access is not equitable across all demographics within Canada. Vulnerable groups, specifically refugees and Indigenous people geographically isolated, often face unique challenges trying to access existing healthcare services. In Mamata's workshop, three innovative models of care that were developed to address the unique needs of the specific population were discussed:
- the Wellness Wheel model of care provides primary care and chronic disease management in First Nations community in partnership with community healthcare teams;
- the Regina community clinics provide care to refugees and immigrants; and
- the Chronic Pain Clinic provides client-centered multi-modal comprehensive care to individuals living with chronic pain.
Awareness about impacts of systemic and personal factors on health and healthcare access informed clinical practice.
Health research facilitated patient engagement and partnerships with communities. Patient-centered, multi-modal approaches, integrating traditional healing practices with western primary care were developed, supported, and led by family physicians and specialists to address service delivery gaps.
A related research project Mamata recently led was a study conducted by the SHA Research Department in collaboration with Maternal Services at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital to examine and document the lessons learned about the Indigenous Birth Support Worker program. Read about those findings.