AHS expands project to help vulnerable Albertans.

Medicine Hat homeless patients to benefit through accessing government ID

MEDICINE HAT – More vulnerable Albertans needing access to health care – including referral to specialized and followup services – will get the help they need with the local launch of the Alberta Health Services (AHS) ID Program.

“This program helps us to remove barriers to care, decrease lengths of stay in hospital and, for some of our patients, it’s helped them obtain employment and housing. It’s truly making a difference for Albertans,” says Dr. Laura Calhoun, Provincial Medical Director for Addiction and Mental Health with AHS.

The AHS ID Program identifies individuals seeking care at an AHS facility or with AHS community programs and services but who don’t have government-issued identification and/or a health care card. Designated AHS employees and ID specialists help patients obtain the documentation needed to prove their identity, residency and legal entitlement to remain in Canada.

The program was developed with the support of Alberta Health, Human Services, Service Alberta, and the Solicitor General, and is based on work developed by Human Services and Service Alberta to help homeless clients in government-contracted shelters and agencies.

The program’s collaborative approach results in quicker acquisition of IDs and improved access to much-needed followup services.

“Without government-issued identification, patients weren’t able to be referred to specialists or access community supports and, at times, they were returning to hospital because their health would deteriorate,” says Dr. Calhoun. “Now we are better able to help them manage their care.”

Though every patient’s situation is different, for some, it can take about an hour to gather all the required identifying information, including supporting documentation. Once this is completed, the patient finalizes the process with a Service Alberta registry agent and their identification and health care card is typically received within two weeks.

As part of the program, an ID Repository has been established at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, where homeless and at-risk patients can store their newly obtained identification and/or health care card until they have the ability to secure these documents independently. This service further contributes to the portability of patient information. Based on their consent, client information can then be shared with health care providers who require it to initiate referrals to followup programs and services.

The program is currently run in Edmonton, Lethbridge and Calgary, where it launched in 2013. Since then, more than 2,470 homeless, at-risk and recently-housed patients have acquired identification through the program. Plans are in place to launch the program in Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray and central Alberta over the next year.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

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