VANCOUVER – Telus announced a $5 million commitment to expand its Health for Good program across the country.
The program provides primary healthcare to vulnerable and underserved Canadians through the deployment of specially-equipped mobile health “clinics on wheels” into communities where frontline care is urgently needed. Once fully operational the program will be able to care for more than 20,000 Canadians annually, said the company.
Currently active in Montreal, Vancouver, Victoria and Calgary, these partner-operated mobile clinics act as a link between the communities in which they operate and the local health authority. They help to facilitate better continuity of care for vulnerable people who are often experiencing homelessness or living with addiction and complex health issues, including serious physical and mental illnesses, and cannot easily access traditional medical care yet are in urgent need of care. To date, the technology-powered Mobile Health Clinics have supported nearly 10,000 patient visits and reintegrated more than half of these patients back into the public healthcare system.
Telus said Wednesday that the program will roll out to over 10 communities in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia by 2019.
“At Telus, a cornerstone of our passionate social purpose is our heartfelt commitment to enabling better health outcomes for our fellow Canadians, which is why we have expanded our Telus Health for Good program nationally,” said president and CEO Darren Entwistle, in the news release. “Working in collaboration with community partners and organizations, we are bringing healthcare directly to the community and helping a traditionally underserved group receive the care they require in an environment that truly meets their unique needs.”
The Telus Health for Good program is part of the company’s larger Connecting for Good portfolio, which also includes Internet for Good, offering low cost high speed internet to low income families, and Mobility for Good, which provides fully subsidized smartphones and data plans to youth transitioning out of foster care.
In photo: Telus president and CEO Darren Entwistle (left) with Telus Health VP Juggy Sihota (right) at Wednesday's announcement
