TELUS and ASK Wellness Society bring innovative Health for Good mobile clinic to Kamloops and Merritt
As rates of homelessness and fatal drug overdoses continue to soar, TELUS increases its Health for Good commitment across Canada to $16 million through 2027
KAMLOOPS, BC, Sept. 18, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, TELUS, in partnership with ASK Wellness Society, announced the launch of the newest Health for GoodTM mobile health clinic that will bring primary health care and harm reduction services directly to people experiencing homelessness across the BC Interior. Services will initially be provided in the cities of Kamloops and Merritt, with future plans to expand to Penticton. The announcement comes at a time when Kamloops, the third fastest growing city in Canada, is experiencing one of the highest rates of fatal overdoses per capita in British Columbia, owing to the convergence of multiple factors, including the ongoing toxic drug supply crisis, a 51 per cent increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness, and pressures on the health-system overall. The ASK Wellness Mobile Health Clinic powered by TELUS Health will help address the urgent and increasing needs of these local communities, expecting to support over 4,000 patient visits per year.
"At TELUS, we are driven by our collective desire to leverage our technological leadership and human innovation to build stronger, healthier communities," said Patrick Barron, Vice-president, Corporate Citizenship and Community Investment, TELUS. "We're pleased to announce we've increased our overall commitment to the TELUS Health for Good program to over $16 million through 2027 and are thrilled to partner with ASK Wellness Society as they share in our belief that every Canadian, regardless of their socio-economic status, should have access to healthcare and social support services when and where they need it."
ASK Wellness Society currently provides services and housing to over 3,000 people per year, including individuals identifying as Indigenous. ASK Wellness Society and TELUS are committed to offering culturally safe and relevant health services - the planned nursing staff will work alongside an outreach worker on board the clinic, meeting clients where and when they need support. In addition, the mobile health clinic will be equipped with TELUS Wi-Fi network connectivity and Collaborative Health Record (CHR), enabling onboard health care practitioners to collect and store data, examine results over time, and treat patients with previously undocumented medical histories for better continuity of care. The space is divided into two main areas: one for patient reception and consultative services, and a second private area, with an examination table and a provider workstation. This design will allow the team to treat patients with the dignity and respect they deserve.
"For over 30 years, ASK Wellness Society has been providing critical health care services to our local communities," said Bob Hughes, Executive Director, ASK Wellness Society. "With increasing local demand, we're thrilled to partner with TELUS to bring the mobile health clinic to communities across Kamloops and Merritt. This initiative enables our team to bring essential health care services directly to individuals who are in great need, removing some of the most common barriers to accessing healthcare, and ultimately helping improve the health and well-being of our local communities."
The partnership with ASK Wellness Society is the latest expansion to TELUS Health for Good's national program which has enabled 240,000 cumulative patient visits in 27 communities across Canada since inception. For more information about TELUS Health for Good, visit telus.com/healthforgood.
About TELUS Health for Good
Since 2014, TELUS Health for Good has been connecting underserved individuals to the medical and mental health care they need using the power of technology. Backed by a commitment of $16 million through 2027, TELUS Mobile Health Clinics have now supported over 240,000 patient visits across 27 Canadian communities since inception in 2014. Equipped with TELUS electronic medical records technology, and fueled by compassion, our Mobile Health Clinics provide essential primary medical care to individuals living on the streets. The program also supports women experiencing marginalization with access to free TELUS Health MyCare Counselling sessions and supports low-income older adults to live more independently and enjoy peace of mind with subsidized access to TELUS LivingWell Companion™.
About ASK Wellness Society
Originally founded in 1992 as the AIDS Society of Kamloops, the Society was formed to promote health and wellness and to provide education to strengthen the Kamloops community. The Society soon recognized the need to house individuals before they could focus on their health. From there, the Housing First initiatives began. In 2016, the Society changed its name to ASK Wellness Society to reflect the need to serve all people in the community who struggle with their housing, health, or employment. With the vision of working towards a society that recognizes the value and potential of each individual, services are currently provided to over 3,000 people per year in the cities of Kamloops, Merritt, and Penticton including those who live within the 750 units of housing offered throughout the continuum of Streets, to Homes, to Health, to Employment.
About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with more than $20 billion in annual revenue and over 19 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video, and security. Our social purpose is to leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to drive social change and enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. The numerous, sustained accolades TELUS has earned over the years from independent, industry-leading network insight firms showcase the strength and speed of TELUS' global-leading networks, reinforcing our commitment to provide Canadians with access to superior technology that connects us to the people, resources and information that make our lives better.
Operating in 32 countries around the world, TELUS Digital Experience (TSX and NYSE: TIXT) is a leading digital customer experience innovator that designs, builds, and delivers next-generation solutions, including AI and content moderation, for global and disruptive brands across strategic industry verticals, including tech and games, communications and media, eCommerce and fintech, banking, financial services and insurance, healthcare, and others.
TELUS Health is a global healthcare leader, which provides employee and family primary and preventive healthcare and wellbeing solutions. Our TELUS team, along with our 100,000 health professionals, are leveraging the combination of TELUS' strong digital and data analytics capabilities with our unsurpassed client service to dramatically improve remedial, preventive and mental health outcomes covering over 75 million lives, and growing, around the world. As the largest provider of digital solutions and digital insights of its kind, TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods enables efficient and sustainable production from seed to store, helping improve the safety and quality of food and other goods in a way that is traceable to end consumers.
Driven by our determination and vision to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS and our team to contribute $1.7 billion, including 2.2 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world. Together, let's make the future friendly.
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SOURCE TELUS Communications Inc.
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