FOR RELEASE #06-209
September 6, 2006
HEALTH AGREEMENT WILL IMPROVE CARE FOR YUKONERS WHO ARE REFERRED OUTSIDE
WHITEHORSE – Health and Social Services Minister Brad Cathers today announced an agreement in principle with Alberta’s Capital Health to provide assistance to Yukon patients referred to Edmonton for medical care.
"We are currently finalizing the details on a medical travel navigator program with Capital Health in Edmonton, and we are in negotiations with Vancouver Coastal Health and the Calgary Health Region to provide a similar service to patients sent to either of those two cities for medical care," Cathers said. "We are very excited about this program and how it can support our residents requiring medical care outside of our boundaries."
The agreements will have staff in each of the three health regions follow up with Yukon patients to ensure that health services are coordinated and there are supports in place for Yukon residents who may not be familiar with the community. In addition, navigators will be able to work with Yukon health care providers to ensure discharge planning and follow-up treatments are available.
Staff from the regions will visit Yukon to learn about the health care system and get general knowledge on community profiles.
"When health care workers in southern Canada complete a discharge plan for a resident from one of our rural communities, we want them to know what services that community has," Cathers said.
Capital Health is also providing specialized services to residents of both the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. "We welcome the opportunity to provide the same care and services to Yukon residents through this new Yukon program," said Neil Wilkinson, Capital Health Board Chair.
The care team consists of a Medical Director, Patient Care Director and four Registered Nurses all with experience working and living in the North, to provide support to northern patients while they are in Edmonton for medical care.
"I think this is an important service to our residents and it is a good thing for us to be able to provide them with support at a critical and sometimes difficult time of their lives," Cathers said.
Any patient being sent out to one of the three locations will be identified to a worker in the region for follow-up.
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Contact:
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Peter Carr
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Pat Living, Communications
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Ronna Bremer
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