Through the Systems Navigation Access and Partnership (SNAP) Project, Community Health Centre (CHC) grantees are working to advance systems navigation efforts to improve access and health across Canada. This blog explores the work of Halifax based CHC, North End Community Health Centre and the impact the funding has had in their community.

Question 1: Tell us a bit about your CHC, catchment area and community that you serve.

We strive to support the health and well-being of our community as informed by the social determinants of health and while treating all with respect and dignity and prioritizing equitable access to services and programs. We are a registered charity, in operation for over 50 years, that has grown to offer primary health care, dental services, nutrition, social work, Mobile Outreach Street Health (MOSH), supported housing, low barrier mental health care, harm reduction programs, outreach, and advocacy to our marginalized community. The NECHC has a deep history of adapting to meet the needs of our community experiencing poverty and homelessness.

Question 2: Tell us about your SNAP Project?

With support from CACHC, we were able to hire a Patient Navigator to be a key liaison between patients, clients, staff, and service providers, and to foster positive relationships within a community that has historically faced challenges with the healthcare system. As part of the Primary Health Team, they support NECHC staff by providing a consistent, welcoming, informative presence in our interdisciplinary clinic. They actively welcome and engage all individuals accessing our services and provide assistance and direction where required. We were fortunate to receive additional funding from a different source to provide nutritious, dignified meals in our waiting room in an attempt to enhance the service provider/user experience. The ability to offer food allowed the Patient Navigator to initiate conversations with clients. The Patient Navigator could then build relationships and provide direct support to clients, taking the pressure off other members of the health care team. The collaboration between these two projects has amplified their overall impact.

Question 3: Why was it important to Hire a Patient Navigator to support our patients and clients as a one-year pilot project?

A one year pilot project allows us to measure outcomes to prove the need for this service.

Question 4: How was this achieved?

We were able to partner with a local university to build a survey and collect data to better understand the impact of this service.

Question 5: What has the impact of your SNAP project been?

The Patient Navigator has:

• provided a welcoming, informative, and respectful presence in the waiting room of our CHC. supported relationship building and strengthening.
• Offered scratch made meals.
• Fostered positive relationships within a community that has historically faced challenges with the healthcare system.
• Initiated conversations with clients to gain deeper insights and better offer direct support, including referrals to NECHC and other community programs.
• Enhanced trust.
• Assisted clients by screening and prioritizing, taking and relaying messages, and ensuring clients who didn’t have an appointment were booked or referred to drop-in services.
• Increase clients’ awareness of the quickly-evolving expanse of NECHC’s programs and services.

Question 6: What have been the challenges around your respective SNAP Projects?

It takes time to implement this service. It took time to write the job description and interview candidates. It takes time for the Patient Navigator to fully understand the complexity of our organization and all the programs and services we offer. It took time for the Patient Navigator to build trust in the waiting room. It takes time to advocate for sustainable funding for this service. It takes time and resources to track demographics and usage. It takes time to write reports.

Question 7: What impact do you hope your evaluation and increased support will leave for clients in the long term?

We hope that the information gathered from the pilot project will allow us to have this sustainably funded.

Question 8: How do you hope to continue to sustain your SNAP project? Would more funding allow for your project to continue?

We have advocated and asked for government to fund this program.

Question 9: If applicable, share testimonial about your SNAP project from clients/staff.

Someone came in looking for help with their taxes. They went up to the front desk, but the front desk did not understand the request. One of our Patient Navigators approached the person and took the time to understand their needs as well as the fact that they had taken several busses to arrive at the NECHC. The Patient Navigator was able to re-direct them to the front desk to set up an appointment for a social work walk-in later that day. The Patient Navigator then offered them a sandwich to snack on while they waited. The conversation continued and they chatted about all the other services that might be beneficial to them.

Thank you to the team at North End Community Health Centre for their work on the SNAP Project!