The Alex Mobile Care Clinic, powered by TELUS Health, is a specially-equipped mobile van providing free healthcare services to marginalized Calgarians
CALGARY, Alberta, April 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, TELUS, in partnership with The Alex Community Health Centre, announced the launch of their Health for Good™ mobile clinic, working together to enhance the lives of marginalized Calgary residents and communities. The Alex Mobile Care Clinic, powered by TELUS Health, reaffirms TELUS’ commitment to ensuring even the most vulnerable Calgarians have access to immediate, high-quality and compassionate care, when and where they need it. Backed by a commitment of $12 million, through 2025, TELUS Mobile Health Clinics operate in 22 communities across Canada and are equipped with TELUS Health electronic medical record (EMR) technology and TELUS LTE Wi-Fi services - assisting onboard healthcare providers in delivering immediate and quality care, collecting and storing data, and examining results over time for improved continuity of care.
“At TELUS, we are driven by our collective desire to leverage our technological and human innovation to enable better health outcomes for people around the world,” said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO, TELUS. “Through our longstanding partnership with The Alex, we are removing many of the barriers facing underserved and marginalized populations in Calgary by providing access to primary healthcare, mental wellness and addiction support services. With our increased commitment of $12 million, through 2025, we’re continuing to expand our Health for Good clinic program, enabling us to launch even more Mobile Health Clinics. By combining technology with human compassion, we are bringing healthcare directly to the communities and people who need it most, reminding our fellow citizens that they’re not alone, providing valuable care and the promise of a friendlier future for all.”
On any given night, there are nearly 6,000 Calgarians experiencing homelessness or who are precariously housed, often living with complex health and addiction issues. Many cannot easily access traditional medical care, yet are in urgent need due to the unprecedented opioid crisis. All Mobile Health Clinics have space for consultations and assessments, the equipment necessary to provide medical care and harm reduction services and the space for patient privacy, allowing the team to treat patients with the dignity and respect they deserve.
The Alex Mobile Care Clinic, staffed with both a nurse practitioner and a peer support liaison, will deliver two key services to Calgary’s marginalized communities:
- Mobile addictions management, allowing for easier access to addiction management and treatment services. The Mobile Clinic will serve as an expansion to The Alex’s existing Rapid Access Addictions Medicine (RAAM) Clinic and Mobile Addictions Outreach Initiative (MAOI) services.
- Primary healthcare such as routine testing, contraception, women’s health services, STI treatment, harm reduction services, and mental health care and counseling.
“The Alex Community Health Centre is very excited to partner with TELUS on Calgary’s newest Mobile Care Clinic,” said Joy Bowen-Eyre, CEO, The Alex. “With decades of experience in mobile health care, The Alex knows that being in the right place at the right time is critical to meeting the needs of those who experience barriers to good health care. With a focus on addictions support, we are also able to utilize the skills and training of our medical teams, who understand the issues that contribute to addiction and are able to provide medically-assisted support along the continuum of recovery. Together with TELUS, we are ensuring that more Calgarians will be able to have access to judgment-free, dignified health care, leading to better outcomes for both individuals and across the health care system.”
Since 2014, the TELUS Health for Good program has enabled over 100,000 patient visits Canada-wide, and has played a pivotal role during the pandemic, providing over 30,000 COVID-19 vaccinations, tests and assessments across the country.
To learn more about how we are creating better health outcomes for all, visit telus.com/healthforgood.
About TELUS Health for Good
Since 2014, TELUS Health for Good has been helping to remove many of the barriers Canadians living on the streets face in receiving medical care and reconnecting thousands of patients to the public healthcare system. The Mobile Health Clinics provide essential primary medical care, including electronic medical records, and have enabled over 100,000 patient visits since the program’s inception. Today, through numerous partnerships, volunteers, and the power of technology, TELUS Health for Good is an efficient and innovative mobile healthcare delivery tool to reach communities in need by bringing healthcare directly to the people that need it most.
About The Alex
At The Alex, we see the whole story of health. We meet everyone where they are at and treat all people with dignity and respect. For almost 50 years we have served a community facing complex health challenges, including poverty, trauma, financial and housing instability, food insecurity, and a need for social and community inclusion. We tackle tough health and social issues and walk alongside people from crisis to wellness and from challenge to change.
For more information about The Alex visit us at www.thealex.ca, and follow us @thealexchc on Twitter and Instagram.
About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with $17 billion in annual revenue and 17 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video, and security. Our social purpose is to leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to drive social change and enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. The numerous, sustained accolades TELUS has earned over the years from independent, industry-leading network insight firms showcase the strength and speed of TELUS’ global-leading networks, reinforcing our commitment to provide Canadians with access to superior technology that connects us to the people, resources and information that make our lives better.
TELUS Health is Canada’s leader in digital health technology, improving access to health and wellness services and revolutionizing the flow of health information across the continuum of care. TELUS Agriculture provides innovative digital solutions throughout the agriculture value chain, supporting better food outcomes from improved agri-business data insights and processes. TELUS International (TSX and NYSE: TIXT) is a leading digital customer experience innovator that designs, builds, and delivers next-generation solutions, including AI and content management, for global and disruptive brands across high-growth industry verticals, including tech and games, communications and media, ecommerce and FinTech, healthcare, and travel and hospitality. TELUS and TELUS International operate in 25+ countries around the world.
Driven by our determination and vision to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS, our team members and retirees to contribute more than $900 million in cash, in-kind contributions, time and programs and 1.8 million days of volunteerism since 2000 This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world. Together, let’s make the future friendly.
For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us @TELUSNews on Twitter and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
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For more information, please contact: Saara Rahikka TELUS Media Relations saara.rahikka@telus.com
