Watch above: The Saskatoon Health Region officially announced it has expanded its First Nations and Metis Health Services to better offer culturally relevant care. Meaghan Craig reports.
SASKATOON – It’s all about the right care for the right person. On Thursday, the Saskatoon Health Region (SHR) officially announced that it has expanded its First Nations and Metis Health Services to Royal University Hospital (RUH).
Culturally relevant care like connecting with elders, having access to traditional methods and medicines as well as internal support such as social workers, is helping patients get back on their feet and faster.
“This isn’t just the right thing to do in terms of feeling welcoming and creating that space and place. We know that recovery is clearly linked to a more holistic approach,” said Dan Florizone, president and CEO of SHR.
READ MORE: SHR paramedicine pilot proves successful for elderly patients
Rob Norris, MLA for Saskatoon Greystone, was present at the announcement and couldn’t agree more.
“It’s an important day, what we’re looking for is enhanced health care services but also offering patients and families greater certainty, greater understanding as they navigate their way through the health care system.”
As many patients can tell you, hospitals at the best of times can be a little scary. It’s an experience that is worsened when you don’t speak the same language as your doctors or nurses but it’s something hundreds of First Nations and Metis patients go through every year.
Which is why as part of this approach to more culturally appropriate care, translation and interpretation services in Cree and Dene are being offered to patients and their families.
According to Florizone, there are distinct linkages between a patient’s ability to communicate and negative health outcomes.
A study conducted at RUH amongst First Nations patients showed their recovery time took longer and they required longer hospital stays when they could not understand the complexity of their care. In half of the cases studied, the patient presented with three or more complex health conditions.
“This means we need to be even more diligent in communication, in support and in follow-up and follow through.”
Two years ago the service was introduced at St. Paul’s Hospital and since then 2,615 patients have accessed this specialized care.
Since March, 993 in-hospital patients and walk-in patients have used the service at RUH and health officials say more than 40 per cent northern residents access their health care from the SHR.
“Not many could speak fluent English,” said Valerie Bradfield, instead these patients speak Cree, Dene and Dakota as their first language.
“Having someone here who can translate for them and speak their language, you know especially our elderly who come in to us, to help them better understand what is going on with their health care and what the doctors and nurses are telling them is very, very important.”
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