By Aaron Mahoney (@Mahones93 on Twitter)

New research hoping to improve health outcomes for the Indigenous population

Jan 31, 2019 | 2:55 PM

LETHBRIDGE – A three-year research project has been launched by Alberta Health Services (AHS) designed to better assist Indigenous people to navigate the health system in order to improve patient outcomes and address health inequities between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations.

The Indigenous Patient Navigation Model: A Novel Approach is being co-designed by AHS teams and numerous Indigenous stakeholders.

Indigenous people in the province are twice as likely to suffer from liver cancer and diabetes, and three times as likely to attempt suicide as non-Indigenous people according to a 2017 Alberta First Nations Information Governance Centre report.

Katherine Chubbs, Chief Zone Officer for AHS South Zone and co-investigator on the project, says no one can speak to the challenges faced by Alberta’s Indigenous peoples better than they can.

“In developing the proposal for the research project, we engaged a broad-based steering committee made up of Indigenous patients and elders, municipal leaders, health providers, academics and community organizations. Together, we will design truly workable and effective solutions.”

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Indigenous patients and families expressed frustration with the health system during community engagement sessions held in the South Zone three years ago, and Chubbs listed two main reasons behind the project.

“The first is we know that Indigenous people experience way worse outcomes than non-Indigenous patients. We’ve heard from our communities and people that they struggle with transitioning through care. Going from a hospital setting to a community setting, across different community settings and then back to the hospital. They struggle with some of that transition,” Chubbs said.

The goal of this project is to enhance the transitions in care, with the ultimate goal of improving the care experience.

“The second big piece of this project is our co-design model. So, we’re really focused on working with Indigenous communities and our partners to really build something together in a way that we haven’t done before. In a way that respects their right to sovereignty but also in a way that hears their voices very loudly.”

The research project is supported by $1.4 million in grant funding from the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Health System (PRIHS), a partnership between AHS and Alberta Innovates.

They’re co-designing this project, and Chubbs used a metaphor to break down how it will be carried out.

“If I were to compare it to baking a cake, I’d say we have a lot of ingredients right now. We’re not going into this project with the cake half made, we really are building this recipe together. The big part of the project that we’re focusing on is the navigation piece, and really that is taking the care journey piece by piece and understandings where the gaps are.

“We know that one deliverable concretely in the project is going to be navigators, and we’re expecting to have two to three navigators across our zone to work with all the other partners and agencies in the system to bridge those gaps for them. That’s the only concrete deliverable, what that role will do is going to be co-designed with our partners,” Chubbs stated.

Part of the project will involve the creation of the Indigenous Navigator positions for AHS South Zone.

The navigators will have a clinical background, either as a nurse or social worker, in order to help patients move through the health system and, if needed, to act as a liaison to help foster understanding between medical staff and Indigenous patients.

Kienan Williams, an Assistant Scientific Director for the Population, Public & Indigenous Health Strategic Clinical Network, says while he doesn’t know how overdue a project like this is, it’s certainly coming at a welcome time.

“Not just with the federal changes in the landscape that are occurring and the current commitment of the province and AHS to Truth and Reconciliation, but the Alberta health system is well positioned to make change now. The South Zone will be a leader in that change.”

Dr. Melissa Potestio, Scientific Director for AHS’ Population, Public and Indigenous Health Strategic Clinical Network, says the project builds on the trust and strong working relationships South Zone has maintained with local Indigenous communities through ongoing engagement with the departments of health on the Kainai and Piikani First Nations and the urban Indigenous population.

“This is not just a new service,” says Dr. Potestio, who is co-leading the project with Chubbs. “This is a robust research project that will examine the effectiveness of co-designing a navigation model, the impact on health outcomes and inequities, and how the model could be adapted for other jurisdictions.”

Provincial Health Minister Sarah Hoffman also weighed in on the program, stating all Albertans, no matter where they live, deserve access to high-quality health services when and where they need them.

“We are committed to working with Indigenous communities and peoples to improve health outcomes. Important projects such as this one help us strengthen relationships with Indigenous peoples and communities so that we can work together to meet their needs.”

Twelve to 18 months into the project, a stakeholder session will gather feedback to see if any refinements are needed.

Another session will be held at the end of the project to report on the results and to discuss next steps, sustainability and the potential to spread the model throughout the province