Grant: Health System Impact Fellowships - PostDoc Western Canada 2 year

This project examines if and how self-disclosed Indigenous identity could be incorporated into Alberta Health Services (AHS) new provincial Electronic Medical Records system Connect Care. Currently, AHS does not have a culturally informed policy for the collection of an Indigenous identifier. As such, Indigenous patients are not necessarily being provided with access to culturally relevant resources and supports available within AHS. Furthermore, the lack of an Indigenous identifier requires AHS to rely on data that is often outdated and held by the Government of Alberta, which is often difficult to access. The absence of data on Indigenous peoples' heath can lead to the minimization, under estimation or complete erasure of Indigenous health determinants and health care access (Smylie & Firestone, 2015). The intergenerational consequences of colonialism requires careful consideration about the collection of Indigenous identity data. The proposed research project will be conducted in full collaboration with Indigenous stakeholders and include diverse Indigenous communities across Alberta. The project will be guided by an Indigenous Advisory Committee that will be developed specifically to co-design the methodology and oversee the project to ensure that the research and knowledge translation benefits Indigenous people. The research design includes four distinct phases that include ongoing community engagement sessions with key stakeholders. The research project will result in four manuscripts in peer reviewed journals, each accompanied by a slide deck to complete presentations within the health system, with Indigenous community partner groups, service providers and at conferences. The final project will include a final report with policy recommendations for best practice. Ultimately, the proposed project will contribute to laying the foundation for the collection of an Indigenous identifier to better serve Indigenous people within the healthcare system.