Navigating Health Care
Stigma and discrimination are disturbingly common reported aspects of accessing health care for peers, and intersectionally, individuals with multiple barriers or axis of oppression can experience compounded challenges in accessing care. Racism, transphobia, homophobia, classism, sexism, ableism all can impact the quality of care a patient may access. When negative experiences build up, individuals may find their trauma or anxiety about how they may be treated can also impact the ability to understand the information given, make clear choices, feel heard or remain present.
Developing and practicing skills, understanding our rights, and utilizing tools may all help improve the quality of care a peer may access. Ultimately, improving the treatment that peers receive from health care providers is the responsibility of the providers. This module aims to give peers support and tools to navigate the system as it is- while ultimately pushing the system to improve the service it offers.
Potential Learning Outcomes
Discussion Topics
What tools can we use to help advocate for our needs in a health care interaction?
What sort of things do you do to prepare for an appointment? During? After?
What is an advocate?
How can I arrange accompaniment to appointments?
What aspects of your identity, appearance or experience have been subject to stigma from providers? What are the unseen gifts of these aspects of self?
What are our rights in accessing care? What can we expect and demand? What are our responsibilities?
How are doctors, nurses and other health care workers held accountable? What is the process for making complaints if mistreated?
Suggested Resources
Aboriginal Health https://www.interiorhealth.ca/health-and-wellness/aboriginal-health-and-wellness
Advocacy Tool Kit: https://www.brainline.org/sites/default/files/Advocacy%20Tool%20Kit_2007.pdf
Providence Patient Rights:
http://www.providencehealthcare.org/hospitals-residences/st-pauls-hospital/info-patients-families/patient-rights-responsibilities
Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Guidelines:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/practitioner-professional-resources/bc-guidelines/opioid-use-disorder
Viral Hepatitis Testing Guidelines: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/practitioner-professional-resources/bc-guidelines/hepatitis
Child and Family Services Rights and Responsibilities:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/family-social-supports/data-monitoring-quality-assurance/client-rights-responsibilities
Complaint Portal:
https://www.patientcarequalityreviewboard.ca/makecomplaint.htmlhttps://www.interiorhealth.ca/information-for/patients-and-visitors/patient-care-quality-office
- Personal Advocacy Skills
- Working with an Advocate
- Care Provider Stigma
- Rights + Responsibilities
Stigma and discrimination are disturbingly common reported aspects of accessing health care for peers, and intersectionally, individuals with multiple barriers or axis of oppression can experience compounded challenges in accessing care. Racism, transphobia, homophobia, classism, sexism, ableism all can impact the quality of care a patient may access. When negative experiences build up, individuals may find their trauma or anxiety about how they may be treated can also impact the ability to understand the information given, make clear choices, feel heard or remain present.
Developing and practicing skills, understanding our rights, and utilizing tools may all help improve the quality of care a peer may access. Ultimately, improving the treatment that peers receive from health care providers is the responsibility of the providers. This module aims to give peers support and tools to navigate the system as it is- while ultimately pushing the system to improve the service it offers.
Potential Learning Outcomes
- Understand and practice skills and strategies for navigating health care systems.
Discussion Topics
What tools can we use to help advocate for our needs in a health care interaction?
- Identifying what we know
- Clarifying the problem.
- Identifying our needs
- Communicating clearly
- Taking notes
- Asking Questions
- Following up
What sort of things do you do to prepare for an appointment? During? After?
- Written notes, lists
- Roleplay
- Debrief
What is an advocate?
- Someone who can help us have our needs heard
How can I arrange accompaniment to appointments?
- Personal Networks
- Social Service Providers
- Health Care Navigators
What aspects of your identity, appearance or experience have been subject to stigma from providers? What are the unseen gifts of these aspects of self?
- Street involvement, poverty → problem-solving skills, resilience, resourceful
- Mental health challenges → broad perspective, compassion, creative
- Gender + Sexuality → personal and community resilience, truth, integrity
- Sex work involvement → business skills, personal advocacy, acting
What are our rights in accessing care? What can we expect and demand? What are our responsibilities?
- Medical treatment should be provided in a way that respects the dignity and autonomy of the individual being treated.
- Asking the clinic for their guidelines, rights and responsibilities.
How are doctors, nurses and other health care workers held accountable? What is the process for making complaints if mistreated?
- Complaints made first to provider, then to clinic management, then to Patient Care Quality Office (PCQO). Advocates, social workers or human service workers may assist in making or following up complaints.
Suggested Resources
Aboriginal Health https://www.interiorhealth.ca/health-and-wellness/aboriginal-health-and-wellness
Advocacy Tool Kit: https://www.brainline.org/sites/default/files/Advocacy%20Tool%20Kit_2007.pdf
Providence Patient Rights:
http://www.providencehealthcare.org/hospitals-residences/st-pauls-hospital/info-patients-families/patient-rights-responsibilities
Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Guidelines:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/practitioner-professional-resources/bc-guidelines/opioid-use-disorder
Viral Hepatitis Testing Guidelines: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/practitioner-professional-resources/bc-guidelines/hepatitis
Child and Family Services Rights and Responsibilities:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/family-social-supports/data-monitoring-quality-assurance/client-rights-responsibilities
Complaint Portal:
https://www.patientcarequalityreviewboard.ca/makecomplaint.htmlhttps://www.interiorhealth.ca/information-for/patients-and-visitors/patient-care-quality-office