UPDATE - TELUS launches Health for Good to support Waterloo Region’s most vulnerable citizens

The Sanguen Mobile Health Clinic powered by TELUS Health, a specially-equipped mobile health clinic on wheels, will provide primary healthcare services to local citizens in need, wherever they are

WATERLOO, Ontario, Jan. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, TELUS announced its commitment to expand the company’s innovative Health for Good^TM program with the launch of the new Sanguen Mobile Health Clinic, powered by TELUS Health, in partnership with Sanguen Health Centre. The Mobile Clinic, a specially-equipped clinic on wheels, will provide essential primary medical and mental health care, including electronic medical records directly to underserved Canadians in Waterloo Region, including Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge.

“At TELUS, a cornerstone of our social purpose is our commitment to enabling better health outcomes for all Canadians, including our communities’ most underserved citizens,” says Jill Schnarr, Vice President, Corporate Citizenship at TELUS. “We believe that in order to do well in business, we must leverage the power of our technology to improve the social health of our communities. With an investment of $10 million over five years, we’re incredibly proud of our ongoing commitment to the TELUS Health for Good program and we’re excited to bring these much needed services to the Waterloo Region.”

Already active in Montreal, Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary and Ottawa, these state-of-the-art Mobile Health Clinics operate in communities where frontline care is urgently needed and act as a vital link between the community and local health authority. The program helps to remove many of the barriers that Canadians living on the streets face in receiving medical care, and will support over 20,000 patient interventions per year nationwide.

Estimates show that 235,000 individuals experience homelessness in Canada in a given year. They also typically lack a documented medical history that can be referenced by healthcare practitioners. By facilitating better continuity of care, these services help those who cannot easily access traditional medical care, yet are in urgent need.

“At Sanguen Health Centre, we are committed to helping improve access to healthcare and providing much needed services to underserved individuals in our region,” said Chris Steingart, Founder and Executive Director, Sanguen Health Centre. “The launch of this innovative Mobile Health Clinic, in partnership with TELUS, Kitchener Community Health Centre and Lang’s Community Health Centre, will have an immediate impact on the health and well-being of many in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge. We are beyond grateful to TELUS for their support, without which this program would not be possible.”