Island Health will be launching the Indigenous Self-Identification (ISI) program this fall at Cormorant Island Community Health Centre, Port McNeill Hospital, Port Hardy Hospital, Campbell River Hospital, Comox Valley Hospital and Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
The ISI program represents a significant step in our commitment to delivering equitable and culturally safe health care services for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals. The initiative, which has been developed in collaboration with Indigenous communities, supports response to recommendation 9 of the In Plain Sight Report and closely aligns with the principles of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
The ISI program introduces a small addition to the current patient registration process – two voluntary questions that allow patients to self-identify as Indigenous.
To ensure staff at North Island acute care sites and at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital are fully supported for the program, a variety of resources have been created, including online training, FAQs, a Cerner wiki page, and accessible public information. Throughout October, registration staff and leaders at these sites will participate in ISI education training and receive the tools and materials they need for the official launch starting on the evening of October 23 with full activation complete on October 24, 2024.
More than just a Ministry of Health requirement, the ISI program is an important step in the ongoing journey of reconciliation. It aims to reduce healthcare disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations in our region. By identifying patients who self-identify as Indigenous, staff can offer more informed and tailored care, enhance access to Indigenous-specific services, and collect meaningful data to improve services in the future. These benefits will extend across all regions, with data agreements ensuring alignment with Indigenous-led data stewardship practices and principles, including OCAP®.
We would like to extend our thanks to the teams at Cormorant Island Community Health Centre, Port McNeill Hospital, Port Hardy Hospital, Campbell River Hospital, Comox Valley Hospital and Nanaimo Regional General Hospital for their commitment, leadership, and support to implement this program, as well as to all staff involved in making the ISI program a reality over the past year.
Together, we are building more inclusive and culturally respectful healthcare spaces that provide the best possible experience for Indigenous patients across Island Health. We look forward to continuing this journey as we work towards a full regional rollout of the ISI program in 2024-2025.
For more information about the Indigenous Self-Identification program, please visit Island Health's ISI page.