TELUS expands Health for Good™ program in partnership with The Alex to support Calgary’s most vulnerable citizens
The Alex Community Health Bus powered by TELUS Health, a specially-equipped mobile health clinic on wheels, will provide primary healthcare services to Calgarians in need, wherever they are
CALGARY, Alberta, Jan. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TELUS, in partnership with The Alex, today announced its commitment to expand the company’s innovative program in Calgary with the launch of The Alex Community Health Bus powered by TELUS Health. The new Community Health Bus aims to enhance healthcare services for at-risk youth and individuals living with complex needs across Calgary. With the expansion of the TELUS Health for Good program, TELUS and The Alex have reaffirmed their mutual commitment to ensuring Calgarians have access to immediate, high-quality and compassionate care, including vital support for their mental health.
“At TELUS, the core of our passionate social purpose is our commitment to enabling better outcomes for our fellow Canadians,” says Jill Schnarr, Vice President, Corporate Citizenship at TELUS. “We believe that everyone should have access to healthcare when and where they need it regardless of their socio-economic status, which is why we have committed $10 million to expand our TELUS Health for Good™ program to communities across Canada over the next five years. As longtime partners of The Alex, we are proud and excited to support them in providing these crucial services to Calgarians in need.”
Already active in Montreal, Vancouver, Victoria, Ottawa and Waterloo Region, these state-of-the-art mobile health clinics operate in communities where frontline care is urgently needed and act as a vital link between the community and local health authority. The program helps to remove many of the barriers that Canadians living on the streets face in receiving medical care, and will support over 20,000 patient interventions per year nationwide.
Estimates show that experience homelessness in Canada in a given year. They also typically lack a documented medical history that can be referenced by healthcare practitioners. By facilitating better continuity of care, these services help those who cannot easily access traditional medical care, yet are in urgent need.
“The Alex knows that reducing barriers to health care increases positive outcomes, and that providing preventative care reduces heavy system use,” says Joy Bowen-Eyre, CEO of The Alex. “We are very excited to be partnering with the TELUS Health For Good program, as they have been a foundational supporter of the next generation of our Community Health Bus. With TELUS’ support, the bus brings a kind and welcoming face to what is an otherwise dark and difficult place for many. The bus will also extend its community reach to eight in-need high-schools in partnership with the Calgary Board of Education, supplementing the demand of our Youth Health Bus and allowing students to access a safe space to talk about health and wellness issues.”
The Alex Community Health Bus is equipped with TELUS Health’s electronic medical record (EMR) technology and TELUS LTE Wi-Fi network technology. Skilled practitioners will be able to collect and store health data, examine results over time, and provide better continuity of care to patients who previously had undocumented medical histories. The Community Health Bus is divided into two main areas: the first for patient reception and nursing care, and the second with an examination table and health practitioners' workstation including equipment necessary to provide primary healthcare such as routine testing, contraception, STI treatment, addiction services, and mental healthcare and counselling. This state-of-the-art mobile health clinic replaces the original Community Health Bus, which has been in service since 2001, and is the second in The Alex’s fleet equipped with TELUS Health technology.
For more information about the TELUS Health for Good, and additional All Connected for Good programs visit: .
For more information about The Alex Community Health Bus and ways to get involved, visit .
About TELUS Health for Good
Since 2014, TELUS Health for Good has been helping to remove many of the barriers Canadians living on the streets face in receiving medical care and reconnecting thousands of patients to the public healthcare system. Mobile Health Clinics, powered by TELUS Health, were originally inspired by the work being done by . The Mobile Health Clinics powered by TELUS Health, provide essential primary medical care, including electronic medical records, generating over 20,000 patient visits since the program’s inception. Today, through numerous partnerships, volunteers, and the power of technology, TELUS Health for Good is an efficient and innovative mobile healthcare delivery tool to reach communities in need by bringing healthcare directly to the people that need it most.
About The Alex
The Alex is a hub for vulnerable Calgarians, with a reach to our highest-need areas. Since 1973, The Alex has provided thoughtful, comprehensive care to vulnerable Calgarians. With clinical and social components included in almost all of our programs, The Alex tackles tough health and social issues head-on, and our preventative, cost-effective approach moves people from poverty to stability and from crisis to wellness. The Alex serves a community with complex health needs, often the result of issues such as poverty, trauma, homelessness, or addiction. At The Alex whole health is the goal – and you can’t be healthy if you are hungry, isolated, or experiencing mental health struggles. Building community, treating people with dignity, and supporting their paths to wellness – these are all fundamental values of The Alex.
For more information about The Alex visit us at , and follow us @thealexchc on and .
About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications and information technology company with $14.6 billion in annual revenue and 14.5 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video and security. We leverage our global-leading technology to enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. TELUS Health is Canada's largest healthcare IT provider, and TELUS International delivers the most innovative business process solutions to some of the world’s most established brands.
Driven by our passionate social purpose to connect all Canadians for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired our team members and retirees to contribute more than $700 million and 1.3 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world.
For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us on Twitter and on Instagram.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Doug Self
TELUS Public Relations
Johanna Schwartz
Communications Manager, The Alex
