As a part of the Systems Navigation Access Project, we will be highlighting the impact of the project in the communities supported by our CHCs. Today, we are presenting two Stories of Impact from the Cowichan Women’s Health Collective, located in British Columbia.

Opioid Agonist Therapy: One Woman’s Journey

One woman’s journey has been dominated by severe opioid use disorder and frequent overdoses. By moving into the women’s shelter she had safe and timely access to OAT. Within 6 weeks, her overdose rate had significantly decreased, and she felt well enough to begin thinking about other aspects of life, including looking for work.

Having a Nurse Practitioner on site facilitated her access, not only to OAT but also to much needed primary care. The System Navigator, through her connection to the residents, facilitated her appointments with the NP and continues to provide follow-up support. Success can be difficult to measure and is a journey rather than an end-point. But for this woman, things are looking up. She is feeling better.

Oxycodone and hydromorphone are short-acting prescription opioids, traditionally used for treating acute pain but also being prescribed as part of providing a “safer supply”. Together these medications (OAT & SS) are being used to help people separate from the poisonous street opioids, thereby reducing their risk of overdose and other harms. Studies have shown that both OAT and safe supply medications reduce the risk of overdose and death. BC declared a public health emergency in April 2016 due to the rise in overdoses from the toxic and unregulated street supply. Since then, approximately 14,000 people have died from unregulated drug toxicity.

Improving consistent and timely access to OAT is key to assisting people to manage their addiction, improve stability and reduce overdose and other harms. In other words, OAT & SS are key to saving lives and improving health.

Stability: One Woman’s Journey

One client of a CHC has had ongoing difficulties with her health, with several complex health conditions. Due to living rough, it has been difficult for her to stay on a regular schedule with her medications. Even when living in a shelter, she was frequently unable to get to the pharmacy during opening hours. When she failed to take her medication, she would end up in the hospital for extended period of time, until her medical conditions were managed again and she became stable. Then the cycle would repeat.

With the encouragement of the system navigator to request daily dose delivery from the pharmacy to the shelter and reminders to take her medications regularly, this woman has become more stable. Additional early outcomes include reduction in the immediate stress on her family as well as reduction in the time and costs accrued by the healthcare system. This woman’s barriers to managing her health were improved with the support of the NP and system navigator.