Patient transportation in Canada's northern territories: patterns, costs and providers' perspectives.

INTRODUCTION: Canada's northern territories are characterized by small, scattered populations separated by long distances. A major challenge to healthcare delivery is the reliance on costly patient transportation, especially emergency air evacuations (medevacs). The purpose of this study was to describe the patterns, costs and providers' perspectives on patient transportation, and identify potential factors associated with utilization and performance. METHODS: Secondary analyses of medical travel databases and an online survey of nurses in the communities and physicians in regional centers were undertaken. RESULTS: The proportion of the population living within 100 km of a hospital was 83% in Yukon, 63% in Northwest Territories (NWT) and 21% in Nunavut. In Nunavut and NWT, road access to a hospital was limited to residents of the cities where the hospitals were located, with the rest relying exclusively on air travel. Medevac rates varied among the three territories: 0.9 trips/1000 residents/year in Yukon, 32/1000 in NWT and 53/1000 in Nunavut. In Yukon, all communities except one are road-accessible whereas in Nunavut no communities are connected by roads. The relative absence of roads is a major reason why the patient transportation costs are high in Nunavut and NWT. The rate of medevacs originating from the remote, air-accessible-only communities varied greatly, which cannot be explained by the air distance from the nearest hospital, population size or frequency of health center visits. Medical travel accounts for 5% of the health expenditures in NWT and 20% in Nunavut. A medevac on average costs $218 per person per year in NWT and $700 in Nunavut. The providers survey detected only 66% or less in support of statements that nurses in the communities received timely access to clinical advice, whereas only 50% of physicians agreed with statements that the clinical information provided by the nurses was clear. CONCLUSION: Patient transportation, especially emergency air evacuations, is an essential but costly component of the healthcare system serving Canada's north. It is the 'glue' that binds an extensive network of facilities staffed by different categories of health professionals. While system design is largely dictated by geography, addressing human factors such as interprofessional communication is important for improving the system's effectiveness. This study is primarily descriptive and it points to additional areas for improved understanding of the performance of the system.

Stakeholders' assessment of US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's contributions to the development of National Public Health Institutes in seven countries.

National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) can strengthen countries' public health capacities to prevent, detect, and respond to public health emergencies. This qualitative evaluation assessed the role of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in NPHI development and strengthening of public health functions. We interviewed NPHI staff (N = 43), non-NPHI government staff (N = 29), and non-governmental organization staff (N = 24) in seven countries where CDC has supported NPHI development: Cambodia, Colombia, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Zambia. Participants identified four areas of support that were the most important: workforce capacity building, technical assistance for key public health functions, identifying institutional gaps and priorities, and funding to support countries' priorities. Participants underscored the need for capacity building directed toward country-driven priorities during planning and implementation. Continued support for NPHI development from CDC and other partners is vital to building stronger public health systems, improving population health, and strengthening global health security.

Assessing clinical support and inter-professional interactions among front-line primary care providers in remote communities in northern Canada: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Primary care in remote communities in northern Canada is delivered primarily by nurses who receive clinical support from physicians in regional centres and the patient transportation system. To improve continuity, quality and access to care in remote northern communities, it is important to understand the perspectives of front-line providers and the complex challenges they face. OBJECTIVE: To design and implement a survey of primary care providers to identify issues relating to inter-professional communication, clinical support and patient evacuation. METHODS: In collaboration with the territorial government and regional health authority partners, we developed a 21-item self-administered questionnaire survey, which could be completed online. The survey was sent to 218 physicians and nurses who were employed in the Northwest Territories (NWT) at the time of the survey and were involved in sending patients out of the community and/or receiving patients. The survey also contained an open-ended question at the end seeking comments regarding primary health care. RESULTS: The overall low response rate of 39% among nurses and 19% among physicians threatens the validity of the quantitative results. The majority of providers were satisfied with their ability to communicate with other providers in a timely manner, their freedom to make clinical decisions and their overall experience practicing in the NWT. The patient transfer system appears to work from both the sender and receiver perspectives. However, a common theme reported by nurses was that physicians providing clinical advice, especially short-term locums, were not familiar with the local situation, whilst physicians at the receiving end remarked that the clinical information provided to them often lacked clarity. CONCLUSIONS: Important lessons were learnt from the pilot study, especially in better engagement of providers in planning and dissemination. The questionnaire design and the online method of delivery were acceptable. Although important issues were identified, a larger definitive survey is needed to investigate them in the future.

Backcountry Travel Emergencies in Arctic Canada: A Pilot Study in Public Health Surveillance.

Residents in the Canadian Arctic regularly travel in remote, backcountry areas. This can pose risks for injuries and death, and create challenges for emergency responders and health systems. We aimed to describe the extent and characteristics of media-reported backcountry travel emergencies in two Northern Canadian territories (Nunavut and Northwest Territories). A case-series of all known incidents between 2004 and 2013 was established by identifying events in an online search of two media outlets, Nunatsiaq News and Northern News Services. We identified 121 incidents; these most commonly involved young men, and death occurred in just over 25% of cases. The territories differed in the seasonal patterns. News media provides a partial source of data to estimate the extent and characteristics of backcountry emergencies. This information is needed to improve emergency preparedness and health system responsiveness in the Arctic.

Evaluation of the Kòts'iìhtla ("We Light the Fire") Project: building resiliency and connections through strengths-based creative arts programming for Indigenous youth.

BACKGROUND: The creative arts - music, film, visual arts, dance, theatre, spoken word, literature, among others - are gradually being recognised as effective health promotion tools to empower, engage and improve the health and well-being in Indigenous youth communities. Arts-based programming has also had positive impacts in promoting health, mental wellness and resiliency amongst youth. However, often times the impacts and successes of such programming are not formally reported on, as reflected by the paucity of evaluations and reports in the literature. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate a creative arts workshop for Tlichǫ youth where youth explored critical community issues and found solutions together using the arts. We sought to identify the workshop's areas of success and challenge. Ultimately, our goal is to develop a community-led, youth-driven model to strengthen resiliency through youth engagement in the arts in circumpolar regions. DESIGN: Using a mixed-methods approach, we conducted observational field notes, focus groups, questionnaires, and reflective practice to evaluate the workshop. Four youth and five facilitators participated in this process overall. RESULTS: Youth reported gaining confidence and new skills, both artistic and personal. Many youth found the workshop to be engaging, enjoyable and culturally relevant. Youth expressed an interest in continuing their involvement with the arts and spreading their messages through art to other youth and others in their communities. CONCLUSIONS: Engagement and participation in the arts have the potential to build resiliency, form relationships, and stimulate discussions for community change amongst youth living in the North.