Adresser les obstacles aux soins de santé auxquels font face les demandeurs d'asile et les réfugiés à travers un symposium interprofessionnel

Implication Statement In this work, we describe an interprofessional healthcare symposium driven by the challenges faced by the local asylum-seeking/refugee population in Montreal. McGill University medical, nursing, dietetics, and social work students partnered with local experts to provide attendees with tools to better meet the needs of Montreal’s migrant population. This student-led initiative, unique in its interdisciplinary and comprehensive nature, increased awareness of the needs of an underserved population while promoting student engagement in health advocacy and interprofessional collaboration. It also enhances the development of skills essential to provide culturally sensitive care.Énoncé des implications de la recherche Dans cet article, nous décrivons un symposium en santé interprofessionnel adressant les défis auxquels font face la population locale de demandeurs d'asile/réfugiés à Montréal. Les étudiants en médecine, en sciences infirmières, en diététique et en travail social de l'Université McGill ont fait appel à des experts locaux pour fournir aux futur professionnels de la santé des outils leur permettant de mieux répondre aux besoins de la population migrante de Montréal. Cette initiative unique dans sa nature interdisciplinaire et globale, a accru la sensibilisation aux besoins d'une population mal desservie tout en favorisant l'engagement des étudiants dans la promotion de la Santé, la collaboration Interprofessionnelle et l’offre de soins culturellement adaptés

The need for alternative solutions when caring for patients with language barriers

Barriers to quality communication increase the risk for misunderstanding, negatively impact the thoroughness of health investigations, and can lead to delayed diagnoses and increased readmissions. In addition, language barriers disproportionately affect the most vulnerable populations; thus, a lack of appropriate interpretation services promotes health disparities and increases the vulnerability of the underserved minority populations. According to the Act Respecting Health Services and Social Services of Quebec, health organizations need to take into account the distinctive linguistic and sociocultural characteristics of each region and, “foster […] access to health services and social services through adapted means of communication for persons with functional limitations”. A language barrier is a form of functional limitation that patients face when accessing healthcare services. Despite a clear policy, the current use of professional interpretation services is limited in our healthcare facilities, thus increasing obstacles in accessing healthcare services for patients with language barriers. It is thought that by identifying how language barriers present in our healthcare system and by highlighting the tools available to mitigate their consequences, healthcare workers, including medical students, may be better placed to serve the non-French and non-English speaking community. A group of medical students from the Universities of Montreal and McGill who are part of MedComm researched the problematic, most specifically in Montreal, in the hopes of emphasizing the need for alternative solutions to the current state of affairs in regard to offering optimal care to patients with language barriers

Addressing healthcare barriers faced by asylum seekers and refugees through an interprofessional symposium

Implication StatementIn this work, we describe an interprofessional healthcare symposium driven by the challenges faced by the local asylum-seeking/refugee population in Montreal. McGill University medical, nursing, dietetics, and social work students partnered with local experts to provide attendees with tools to better meet the needs of Montreal’s migrant population. This student-led initiative, unique in its interdisciplinary and comprehensive nature, increased awareness of the needs of an underserved population while promoting student engagement in health advocacy and interprofessional collaboration. It also enhances the development of skills essential to provide culturally sensitive care.Énoncé des implications de la rechercheDans cet article, nous décrivons un symposium en santé interprofessionnel adressant les défis auxquels font face la population locale de demandeurs d’asile/réfugiés à Montréal. Les étudiants en médecine, en sciences infirmières, en diététique et en travail social de l’Université McGill ont fait appel à des experts locaux pour fournir aux futur professionnels de la santé des outils leur permettant de mieux répondre aux besoins de la population migrante de Montréal. Cette initiative unique dans sa nature interdisciplinaire et globale, a accru la sensibilisation aux besoins d’une population mal desservie tout en favorisant l’engagement des étudiants dans la promotion de la Santé, la collaboration Interprofessionnelle et l’offre de soins culturellement adaptés