International Journal of Health Policy and Management

International Journal of Health Policy and Management

The Newcomer Health Clinic in Nova Scotia: A Beacon Clinic to Support the Health Needs of the Refugee Population

Document Type : Perspective

Authors
Graeme Kohler 1
Timothy Holland 2
Ashley Sharpe 2
Mandi Irwin 2
Tara Sampalli 1
Kolten MacDonell 2
Natalie Kidd 2
Lynn Edwards 1
Rick Gibson 1
Amy Legate 2
Ruth Ampi Kanakam 2
1 Primary Health Care, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, NS, Canada
2 Newcomer Health Clinic, Primary Health Care, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, NS, Canada
10.15171/ijhpm.2018.54
Abstract
Refugees tend to have greater vulnerability compared to the general population reporting greater need for physical, emotional, or dental problems compared to the general population. Despite the importance of creating strong primary care supports for these patients, it has been demonstrated that there is a significant gap in accessing primary care providers who are willing to accept the refugee population. These have resulted in bottlenecks in the transition or bridge clinics and have left patients orphaned without a primary care provider. This in turn results in higher use of emergency service and other unnecessary costs to the healthcare system. Currently there are few studies that have explored these challenges from primary care provider perspectives and very few to none from patient perspectives. A novel collaborative implementation initiative in primary healthcare (PHC) is seeking to improve primary medical care for the refugee population by creating a globally recommended transition or beacon clinic to support care needs of new arrivals and transitions to primary care providers. We discuss the innovative elements of the clinic model in this paper.

Highlights

 

Watch the Video Summary here.

 

Keywords
Refugees
Primary Healthcare
Beacon Clinic
Care Transitions
Nova Scotia
Subjects

 

 

  1. Russell G, Harris M, Cheng IH, et al. Coordinated primary health care for refugees: a best practice framework for Australia. Report to the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute. Dandenong, VIC, Australia: Southern Academic Primary Care Research Unit; 2013.
  2. Joshi C, Russell G, Cheng IH, et al. A narrative synthesis of the impact of primary health care delivery models for refugees in resettlement countries on access, quality and coordination. Int J Equity Health. 2013;12:88. doi:10.1186/1475-9276-12-88
  3. Bhatia R, Wallace P. Experiences of refugees and asylum seekers in general practice: a qualitative study. BMC Fam Pract. 2007;8:48. doi:10.1186/1471-2296-8-48
  4. McKeary M, Newbold B. Barriers to Care: The Challenges for Canadian Refugees and their Health Care Providers. J Refug Stud. 2010;23(4):523-545. doi:10.1093/jrs/feq038
  5. Lawrence J, Kearns R. Exploring the ‘fit’ between people and providers: refugee health needs and health care services in Mt Roskill, Auckland, New Zealand. Health Soc Care Community. 2005;13(5):451-461. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2524.2005.00572.x
  6. Feldman R. Primary health care for refugees and asylum seekers: a review of the literature and a framework for services. Public Health. 2006;120(9):809-816. doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2006.05.014
  7. Cheng IH, Drillich A, Schattner P. Refugee experiences of general practice in countries of resettlement: a literature review. Br J Gen Pract. 2015;65(632):e171-176. doi:10.3399/bjgp15X683977
  8. Kay M, Jackson C, Nicholson C. Refugee health: a new model for delivering primary health care. Aust J Prim Health. 2010;16(1):98-103. doi:10.1071/PY09048
  9. Heerman WJ, Wills MJ. Adapting Models of Chronic Care to Provide Effective Diabetes Care for Refugees. Clin Diabetes. 2011;29(3):90-95. doi:10.2337/diaclin.29.3.90
  10. Kay M. Modeling the delivery of newcomer health in primary care. Diversit-e. 2011;(2)1:12-13. 
  11. Balachandra SK, Carroll JK, Fogarty CT, Finigan EG. Family-centered maternity care for deaf refugees: the patient-centered medical home in action. Fam Syst Health. 2009;27(4):362-367. doi:10.1037/a0018214
  12. Milosevic D, Cheng IH, Smith MM. The NSW Refugee Health Service - improving refugee access to primary care. Aust Fam Physician. 2012;41(3):147-149.
  13. Gould G, Viney K, Greenwood M, Kramer J, Corben P. A multidisciplinary primary healthcare clinic for newly arrived humanitarian entrants in regional NSW: model of service delivery and summary of preliminary findings. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2010;34(3):326-329. doi:10.1111/j.1753-6405.2010.00535.x
  14. Alarcon J, Cleghorn EJ, Rodriguez EM, Hughes SE, Oxtoby MJ. Completion of primary care referrals among New York state refugees. J Immigr Minor Health. 2014;16(4):743-746. doi:10.1007/s10903-013-9899-0
  15. Priebe S, Sandhu S, Dias S, et al. Good practice in health care for migrants: views and experiences of care professionals in 16 European countries. BMC Public Health. 2011;11:187. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-187
  16. O’Donnell CA, Higgins M, Chauhan R, Mullen K. Asylum seekers’ expectations of and trust in general practice: a qualitative study. Br J Gen Pract. 2008;58(557):e1-11. doi:10.3399/bjgp08X376104
  17. Tamblyn JM, Calderon AJ, Combs S, O’Brien MM. Patients from abroad becoming patients in everyday practice: torture survivors in primary care. J Immigr Minor Health. 2011;13(4):798-801. doi:10.1007/s10903-010-9429-2
  18. Pottie K, Greenaway C, Feightner J, et al. Evidence-based clinical guidelines for immigrants and refugees. CMAJ. 2011;183(12):E824-925. doi:10.1503/cmaj.090313
  19. Harris M, Russell G, Cheng IH, Alston M, Kay M, Furler J, Wahidi S. The Impact of Models of Primary Health Care on Access, Quality and Coordination of Care for Refugees in Countries of Resettlement. 2013.
  20. Kohler G, Sampalli T, Ryer A, et al. Bringing value-based perspectives to care: including patient and family members in decision-making processes. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2017;6(11):661-668. doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2017.27
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Volume 7, Issue 12
December 2018
Pages 1085-1089

  • Received Date 03 January 2018
  • Revised Date 16 April 2018
  • Accepted Date 02 June 2018
  • First Published Date 01 December 2018
  • Published Date 01 December 2018