THUNDER BAY – It’s Ellie to the rescue.
Ellie, the name given to Elevate NOW and the Joseph Esquega Health Centre’s new colourfully decorated outreach van, has been hitting the streets for the past couple of months, delivering medical care on a weekly basis and snacks, warm clothing and harm-reduction supplies, including naloxone kits, five days a week.
Cheryl Everall, the doctor on the physician-led team that journeys around the city each Thursday, said the new initiative is helping deliver care to people who are wary of seeking medical attention in the hospital, but in desperate need of care.
It’s their no-questions asked approach that wins over these patients, who are often suffering from serious health issues or avoiding post-surgery treatment for a variety of reasons, including the stigma of their situations or a fear of withdrawal symptoms if they’re admitted to hospital.
Everall said they’re responding to the thought someone actually cares about their health and well-being.
“We build that trust and we respect them for where they’re at,” Everall said. “That has enabled us to go from dealing with a severe wound to saying, ‘Oh, you’ve tested positive for Hep C in the past, why don’t we get your RNA and have a look and can provide treatment.”
It goes beyond medical care she said, noting the team can help patients on the road to things like stable housing and with other social requirements.
“It’s about looking at the entire individual. When they feel that connection, that respect, regardless of where they’re at, that’s where they start to engage,” she said.
“And we meet some beautiful people. It’s not the way it seems. A lot of people are just in a bad place and you don’t know their story.”
Jessica Laesser, a registered nurse who works mostly in White Sands First Nation, said the opportunity to do street medicine was too important to pass up, adding it’s hard to put into words just how much of a positive impact having Ellie – a surplus, retrofitted ambulance donated to the cause through the City of Thunder Bay – in operation can have on the community.
“The real reality is being able to bridge the gap and having them get some access to quality services that they would never access otherwise,” Laesser said.
She estimated they see about five or six patients in one of the buildings they go into each week, but as they distinctive van becomes a more familiar sight around the city, they’re getting plenty of walk-up traffic as well.
“While the van’s outside, they may see six, eight, 10 people, depending on how busy the street is that day and who is stopping in,” Laesser said.
“Then we have another location we stop at and we’ll see another lady there and we’ve been making some connections with other people to let them know we’re available. So every time they see us, it’s also advertising.”
Elevate NWO spokesman Eric Shih said the joint project is helping a lot of people live better quality lives.
“One of the things we do is testing for HIV and Hep C and Hep B, so being able to offer that right of the vehicle is a big plus,” Shih said, adding it’s not only about finding those who test positive, but to provide the best possible care.
“If we can find them where they’re at and let people know what their status is, then that lets us put them into care. It’s all part of a continuum.”
