Whitehorse General Hospital – “unique First Nations Health Program”

Unfortunately the website is under construction for Whitehorse General Hospital, however, some information is available through their 2009-2013 Strategic Plan concerning their “unique” health program for First Nations people. Having a background in healthcare and understanding that First Nations people live everywhere in Canada, I have often wondered why more healthcare facilities do NOT have a “unique” health program of their own? This hospital is one to watch and emulate across the country.

“We provide culturally and traditionally appropriate programs to meet the needs of First Nations people. These include recruitment, training and retention of qualified First Nations staff to operate the programs; providing cross-cultural training to all hospital employees; linkages to First Nation communities outside Whitehorse; and providing discharge planning, language, traditional medicine, and dietary needs for First Nations patients. Financial issues continue to be a challenge in providing our unique First Nations Health Program.”

http://www.whitehorsehospital.ca/content/EN/YHC_Strategic_Plan.pdf