The big picture of health
When a person’s homeless, without any mailing address or doctor, suffering from range a of physical and mental illnesses, life can seem extremely bleak. But thanks to a unique partnership between VCH and the North Shore Division of Family Practice, there’s now a place in North Vancouver for vulnerable people to get help for their complex and at times life threatening illnesses.
“The HealthConnection Clinic is an environment where they feel comfortable, where they won’t feel judged,” says Sandra Edelman, manager of Population Health and Chronic Disease Services for VCH on the NorthShore. “It’s better management, better diagnosis and better treatment of their conditions. Nobody gets turned away.”
There are currently more than 3,000 people living on the NorthShore who are unattached (without regular access to a doctor) and who have medical, mental health and socio-economic challenges. The new clinic will give them access to a team of physicians, nurse practitioners chronic disease nurses, and outreach workers or social work students. By opening their doors, five days a week to these people, Sandra says the clinic will also benefit other areas of the health-care system.
“We think this will reduce the numbers in the emergency departments as well as with acute admissions,” she explains. “The patient benefits, but so does the system.”
Dean Brown, chair of the North Shore Division of Family Practice says the clinic will be much more equipped to treat these clients.
“They end up using the ED or in hospitals because they don’t know where to go,” says Dean who is also a general practitioner. “These aren’t necessarily the best places for them to sort things out. The clinic will be a better option for them.”
Additionally, the HealthConnection Clinic partners with community agencies to get the client help with non-medical issues like housing, income and access to food. These partnerships are what make the clinic capable of addressing the big picture of health for vulnerable people.
“There’s a connection between the two worlds – between the health authority, doctors and other groups – that really benefit the client and the system,” says Dean “We can all agree that we have a common thread, a common objective of helping these people.”