‘We want to hear from them, learn from them, meet their needs and their requests,’ said Sault Area Hospital’s Indigenous health manager
When an out-of-town Indigenous family needed emergency help, a new department at Sault Area Hospital helped them navigate the health-care system and provide culturally appropriate care.
With the assistance of community partners, workers were able to find the family a place to stay while their loved one received care at the hospital, which was just one of the ways the Indigenous Services team was able to guide them while they were in Sault Ste. Marie.
“We were able to connect them to local pharmacies, fill out the non-insured health benefits portions of their forms, and otherwise they would have been lost,” said Jessica Grawbarger, Indigenous health manager and member of Garden River First Nation.
“We were able to provide that support in a culturally safe way.”
This August, the hospital hired two permanent staff for its new Indigenous Navigator program, following a successful six-month pilot that aims to provide culturally appropriate care and support to First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people.
From cultural and spiritual support, to connecting patients with community resources, Indigenous Navigators can provide a variety of supports for the patients they see.
“We want to hear from them, learn from them, meet their needs and their requests. They are the ones who are really driving our work,” Grawbarger said.
“Our patients come to us – they have to self identify as First Nation, Inuit or Métis, and then they just need to consent to our services.”
The Indigenous Patient Navigator program is just one of the ways Sault Area Hospital is working with Indigenous communities.
In a dedicated garden, the hospital grows the four sacred medicines – tobacco, sage, sweetgrass, and cedar – and Indigenous patients can access the hospital’s Spirit Room for traditional ceremonies like smudging, as well.
Workers foster partnerships with Batchewana and Garden River First Nations, as well as community organizations, in an effort to improve care for Indigenous people staying at the hospital.
“We at Sault Area Hospital won’t lead the work without them – we do it with them,” Grawbarger said.
“Both communities – Garden River and Batchewana – were loud and clear that there needed to be a safety piece for their members.”
As a permanent fixture at the hospital, the Indigenous Patient Navigator program has been a success so far, workers said.
“It’s been overwhelming – a positive experience, for sure,” Grawbarger said.
“The amount of people who are self identifying to be connected to our service is growing every month, month over month, now that people know we exist.”
The new program is just one part of ongoing efforts to provide “great care to everyone,” hospital staff said.
“We’re very, very proud of this work, and we’re grateful to Jessica’s leadership. We recognize that this is a journey, and that we’re really proud of the small steps,” said Shauna Hynna, vice president of people, planning and partnerships.
“We are really committed to being a safe place to get great care for everyone, and it’s really important work to the organization and to our broader community as well.”