In March 2020, Health Benefits and Services initiated the Medical Transportation (MT) Transformation Project to complete a comprehensive program review and bring about improvements to the MT program.
Between October 2021 and January 2022, the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and First Nations Health Directors Association (FNHDA) co-hosted nine engagement sessions supporting MT transformation. The sessions covered a wide range of topics such as cultural safety, provider selection, administrative processes and tools, budgeting and capacity to deliver the program in First Nations communities. Through these sessions, several key themes emerged and they provide the FNHA with a strong foundation for program improvements and ultimately, transformation.
The MT Transformation Engagement Report is a compilation of the key themes, insights and feedback received from health leads and other administrators who support the program.
The engagement sessions highlighted the importance of bringing services and decision-making closer to home and providing the resources necessary for communities to deliver the program efficiently and sustainably. Health leads emphasized the desire to update MT policies and benefits to reflect the diverse needs of communities and support culturally safe experiences when accessing health services.
“We are immensely grateful for the experience and wisdom shared with us in the engagement sessions and will take it to heart as we evolve and transform the MT program," said Andrew Pacey, Project Lead and Executive Director, Program Development and Analytics. “Through our collaborative work we strive to uphold the FNHA's vision of Healthy, Self-Determining and Vibrant BC First Nations Children, Families and Communities."
The report is published on the new MT Transformation Project web page. The web page will be an important tool in communicating project updates to our partners, internal teams, clients and community members. It will specifically cover the following areas:
- Updates on the MT program, benefits and announcements
- Links to the MT Journeys bulletin
- Opportunities to engage
- Training and support information for Patient Travel Clerks working in communities
- Information about the new MT Administrative System that is in development
If you have questions or comments about the MT Transformation Project or would like to provide feedback on the report, please email mtproject@fnha.ca.
