TELUS launches Health for Good to support Edmonton’s most vulnerable citizens

The Boyle McCauley 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

EDMONTON, Alberta, Jan. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, at a local community event in Edmonton, TELUS announced its commitment to expand the company’s innovative Health for Good^TM program in partnership with Boyle McCauley Health Clinic, The Mustard Seed and Mint Health+Drugs. The Boyle McCauley Mobile Health Clinic, powered by TELUS Health, a specially-equipped clinic on wheels, will provide essential primary medical and mental health care, including electronic medical records directly to underserved Canadians in Edmonton.

“At TELUS, the core of our passionate social purpose is our commitment to enabling better outcomes for our fellow Canadians,” says Jill Schnarr, Vice President, Corporate Citizenship at TELUS. “We believe that everyone should have access to healthcare when and where they need it regardless of their socio-economic status, which is why we have committed $10 million to expand our TELUS Health for Good program to communities across Canada over the next five years. We are proud and excited to support our dedicated partners in providing these much needed services to Edmontonians.”

Already active in Montreal, Vancouver, Victoria, Ottawa, Waterloo Region and Calgary, 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.

“We are very pleased to be working together with TELUS and our community partners as we launch the Boyle McCauley Mobile Health Clinic, an exciting initiative that expands access to health care for those in Edmonton who need it the most,” says Cecilia Blasetti, Executive Director, Boyle McCauley Health Centre. “This innovative program brings mental health services, primary health care and substance use treatment directly to those who are struggling with poverty and homelessness, removing barriers to care and improving health outcomes for underserved members of our community.”