Creating community-driven primary healthcare
OTTAWA, April 4, 2014 /CNW/ - The Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement and Mamaweswen, Northern Ontario's North Shore Tribal Council (NSTC), today announced the extension of their partnership focused on transforming primary healthcare for NSTC's seven affiliated First Nations and the urban First Nations population of Sault. Ste. Marie.
The new community-driven and evidence-informed primary healthcare model will be informed by ongoing community engagement, with the ultimate goal of ensuring optimal health is achieved and maintained by community members. The CFHI/NSTC collaboration, launched in February 2013, emphasizes building local capacity to lead meaningful engagement in the design and implementation of a healthcare experience that reflects NSTC culture and values, improves service delivery and leads system-wide transformation.
Community engagement initiatives include guided community conversations and wellness workshops with community meals affording opportunities for frank discussion about primary healthcare delivery in the region and how it can be improved. CFHI has worked with NSTC to provide facilitation training to NSTC staff and community members to enable these conversations.
"Our Government is committed to promoting the health and well-being of First Nations communities," said Federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose. "We are pleased to see this initiative and its unique collaboration which will empower residents to redesign healthcare so that it is more culturally meaningful and sustainable."
The next steps of the partnership include the identification and initial design of local improvement projects. Progress of the community engagement initiatives will be showcased at a joint CFHI/NSTC interactive panel taking place at the 2014 National Health Leadership Conference in Banff on June 3, 2014.
The final framework, with guiding principles for the new delivery model, will be presented to NSTC's Steering Committee in September 2014.
"I am inspired by how our community members have embraced a new way of communicating their health needs," said Gloria Daybutch, Health Director, Mamaweswen, NSTC. "CFHI's support in developing local capacity to lead the community engagement process has been invaluable. Our continued partnership will move this important initiative beyond conversations to the design of a new primary healthcare model that truly reflects local values and meets community healthcare needs."
"This partnership with the North Shore Tribal Council is a great example of collaborating to find better ways of working in healthcare," said CFHI President Maureen O'Neil. "By listening to local communities and learning from international best practices like the Nuka model in Alaska, we can design healthcare that is second to none."
NSTC provides healthcare services to Batchewana First Nation (FN), Thessalon FN, Garden River FN, Mississauga FN, Serpent River FN, Sagamok Anishnawbek and Atikameksheng Anishinawbek in addition to the First Nations populations of Sault. Ste. Marie.
The Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to accelerating healthcare improvement by working with provinces, territories and other healthcare partners to promote efficient healthcare that delivers better outcomes. With a $10 million annual federal investment, CFHI supports the development of innovations that could save provincial-territorial healthcare budgets over $1 billion per year. CFHI is funded through an agreement with the Government of Canada.
Mamaweswen, The North Shore Tribal Council is responsible for delivery of health, education, administration, financial management, economic development, employment and training services to the seven First Nations it represents. It is headquartered in Cutler, Ontario.
Image with caption: "North Shore Tribal Council facilitators co-delivering a community wellness workshop with staff from the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement. (CNW Group/Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140404_C8485_PHOTO_EN_38790.jpg
SOURCE: Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement
Paulette Roberge
Senior Communications Specialist
Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement
W: 613-728-2238 ext. 288
C: 613-790-1070
E: [email protected]
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