Help is there for Indigenous patients and their families navigating the health care system in the Cariboo-Chilcotin.
Jacqueline Mattice and James Donnett are Indigenous Patient Navigators (IPN) based at Cariboo Memorial Hospital, and both of them find helping patients and families a rewarding role.
“I love making a difference and hearing community members and family say I helped them in a little way,” said Mattice.
The role of the IPN at Cariboo Memorial Hospital has been around since about 2006, but the role has matured, said Heather Hair, director of Cariboo Memorial Hospital for Interior Health. Hair said many Indigenous patients, like many people, rely on the emergency room (ER) as their way to access primary care and so the IPN office is embedded in the emergency room.
But their help goes beyond the ER and an IPN can help facilitate many aspects of health care and follow up for patients.
Hair called the work of the IPN a cornerstone of the system for Indigenous patients and said the program has been very successful.
The IPN partner with the Indigenous Health Authority, Healing House, Three Corners Health Services Society, and addiction treatment options and supports, as well as others.
“The goal is to support them through further treatment and follow-up,” said Donnett.
This is also two-way process, with community health centres also communicating with IPN.
The IPN can assist patients with travel to services and appointments, help with accommodation and other arrangements across Interior Health to help facilitate patients accessing services throughout the network.
Mattice has been in the role for three years and moved from Kamloops for the job with Interior Health.
When asked to recall any special moments or stories over the years, Mattice recalled one young man who she helped support. After ending up in the emergency room a number of times for substance misuse, she then read a story about him successfully completing treatment, which she had helped connect him to. Since then, she believes he is
Donnett, having only started in December of 2023, said he is learning from Mattice’s experience.
“I defer to Jacquie,” he said, noting he has enjoyed meeting all the people from communities, learning about Secwepemc culture, meeting knowledge keepers and elders.
Hair said the presence of an IPN with a patient can remind health care providers to think more holistically.
“It helps bring a different perspective to the treatment of the patient,” she said.
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