One in five Canadians experiencing homelessness also have diabetes
New Point of Care Testing program addresses a critical need among Calgary's marginalized population, reducing strain on local hospitals
CALGARY, AB, July 9, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, TELUS, in partnership with The Alex Community Health Centre and the University of Calgary, announced their innovative new pilot program, bringing mobile diabetes Point of Care Testing (POCT) directly to vulnerable Calgarians via The Alex Mobile Care Clinic, powered by TELUS Health. In Canada, one in five people experiencing homelessness also have diabetes and experience increased challenges managing their disease, including a five-fold increased risk of hospitalization. The Alex Mobile Care Clinic, powered by TELUS Health, is a specially-equipped mobile health clinic on wheels, providing primary healthcare services, including routine testing, contraception, STI treatment, harm reduction services, mental health care and counseling, to Calgarians in need. Building on the primary healthcare and social support services offered by The Alex Mobile Care Clinic, which has supported more than 5,000 patient visits locally since its launch in 2022, this addition will help address a critical need and reduce the strain on local hospitals.
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To raise awareness of these critical services and the newly added diabetes Point of Care Testing, TELUS and The Alex are hosting a community event on July 9 at The Alex Community Health Centre in Calgary. The event will also be used as an avenue to educate marginalized Calgarians on the importance of nutritious food and preventative testing. Healthy meals will be served, and community members that attend will receive a local grocery store gift card to help them purchase additional healthy meals.
"At TELUS, we are driven by our collective desire to leverage technology and human compassion to enable better health outcomes," said Nimmi Kanji, Executive Director TELUS Friendly Future Foundation and TELUS Social Purpose Programs. "We deeply value our partnership with The Alex, and the University of Calgary, as it enables us to continue to break down barriers to critical healthcare services for marginalized populations. From primary health care, to mental health support, and the newly added diabetes Point of Care Testing, we are combining technology with human compassion, and bringing healthcare directly to the communities and people who need it most, reminding our fellow Calgarians that they're not alone."
Expanding on TELUS Health for Good's national program which, to date, has brought primary healthcare and mental health services to 25 marginalized communities across Canada, the launch of Calgary's diabetes POCT services was made possible through the University of Calgary's partnership with the Calgary Diabetes Advocacy Committee (CDAC) as well as a community-based participatory research group of eight co-researchers with lived experience of diabetes and homelessness, and academic researchers.
"We are thrilled to build upon our impactful partnership with TELUS and our Mobile Care Clinic, as we embark on this new chapter with University of Calgary," said Joy Bowen-Eyre, CEO of The Alex. "We've seen first hand the positive impact our mobile clinic has made when it comes to reducing barriers to health care and increasing positive outcomes. With support from TELUS and the University of Calgary, our team will be able to extend our reach to more individuals and enhance the level of care provided to the vulnerable populations we serve. By building resiliency, knowledge, and skills among those living with diabetes who are at higher risk due to limited access to other support services, we are taking a crucial step toward improving health outcomes."
"Through our previous shelter-based diabetes outreach program, we were able to help a number of people but we realized there are so many people in Calgary who aren't being reached but could benefit from more accessible diabetes care," said Dr. David J.T. Campbell, internal medicine specialist and Associate Professor at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. "Being able to take our program mobile through the Mobile Care Clinic allows us to offer full-service diabetes specialty care services to people who face barriers to accessing care in traditional hospital-based clinics."
Backed by a commitment of $13 million, through 2026, TELUS Health for Good has supported over 225,000 patient visits in 25 communities across Canada since inception. In addition, the program also provides free access to TELUS Health MyCare? counselling services to marginalized individuals in need of mental health support across Canada as well as discounted access to TELUS Health Medical Alert services for low-income older-adults.
To learn more about how we are creating better health outcomes for all, visit telus.com/healthforgood.
About The Alex The Alex is a beacon of hope for Calgary's most vulnerable citizens, offering wrap-around health care, housing, social, and wellness programs. With a patient and client-centered approach, we envision a community where every individual is valued and empowered to thrive. Our mission is to improve quality of life through accessible and integrated health, housing, and social services. With five decades of experience, we have earned a reputation for tackling tough health and social issues, guiding individuals on their journey from crisis to wellness, and from challenge to change.
About the University of Calgary UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 35,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary.
For more information, visit ucalgary.ca. Stay up to date with UCalgary news headlines on Twitter @UCalgary. For access to UCalgary news releases, images and b-roll, and details on faculties and how to reach experts, check out our newsroom at ucalgary.ca/newsroom.
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 nearly 72 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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For media inquiries, please contact: Saara Rahikka TELUS Public Relations [email protected]
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