On Sept. 22, a grassroots advocacy group Northern Conversations will be facilitating a discussion about systemic problems in the NWT's health care system.
As a part of an ongoing series of talks designed to spur important conversations about health, Northern Conversations, in partership with the NWT Wellness Society, is putting on another talk about the medical system in the NWT.
This is the seventh facilitated talk for the grassroots organization and the largest according to Michael Gannon, chair of Northern Conversations.
SA国际影视传媒淭his will be by far the biggest and most resource intensive talk yet,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
During the all day event, a half dozen doctors, health care providers and former patients will be sharing their experiences and perspectives on the systematic challenges present in the NWT health care system.
SA国际影视传媒淭he three things we're addressing is continuity of care, patient advocacy and controlling your health care information,SA国际影视传媒� said Gannon.
The event will also feature a 30-minute film about Greg Price, a Calgary man who died from testicular cancer, considered a very treatable disease. However, difficulty navigating the health care system contributed to his untimely death.
According to Gannon, patient advocacy can be lacking in elders, people who do not trust institutionalized health care and those who do not have strong English skills.
SA国际影视传媒淓veryone should be able to receive the same care as anyone else and it should be a high quality of care,SA国际影视传媒� said Gannon. SA国际影视传媒淵ou can be pretty good at patient advocacy but if you're not, you can fall through the cracks pretty easily so that's problematic.SA国际影视传媒�
Properly dealing with your health care information will be discussed by Dr. Ewan Affleck, an expert medical archivist.
SA国际影视传媒淭here's a Supreme Court of Canada case that has determined that we are the owners of our health care information,SA国际影视传媒� said Gannon. SA国际影视传媒淚f we are the owners of our health care information, why is it that we can't get to it very easily?SA国际影视传媒�
The free talk is open to anyone including doctors, nurses, decision-makers within the GNWT, Indigenous community leaders and others.
SA国际影视传媒淭his isn't intended to be a high level policy discussion, this is a conversation about these issues in the context of our medical care system,SA国际影视传媒� said Gannon.
By the end of the day, Gannon said he hopes the general public is better informed.
SA国际影视传媒淚t's a can of worms that we're opening up,SA国际影视传媒� said Gannon. SA国际影视传媒淥ne afternoon is not going to solve larger systemic issues. It sure will point to some of them and allow a transparent discussion that includes the public.SA国际影视传媒�
The talk will start at 11 a.m. at Mildred Hall School on Sept. 22.
