Status Quo: How health system design prevents impactful transformation of Indigenous patient care
Dr. Alika Lafontaine
October 7th, 2020
11:00 AM -12:30PM in PST | 2:00 PM - 3:30PM in EST
From 2013-2017, Dr. Lafontaine co-led the Indigenous Health Alliance (IHA), a health transformation project involving 150 First Nations across three Provinces. In 2018, the Federal government allocated $58 million in funding for initiatives championed by the IHA. Drawing on research gathered during the 5 year project and two decades of experience in Indigenous Health, Dr. Lafontaine will discuss how health system design supports the status quo and prevents transformation, despite evidence of the ongoing health crises and harms experienced by First Nation, Inuit and Métis (FNIM) Peoples across Canada.
Presenters
Dr. Lafontaine
Dr. Alika Lafontaine is an award-winning physician, past-president of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, and is recognized nationally and internationally as an expert on Indigenous health systems and health policy, institutional bias, racism and reflective practice. He holds leadership positions within the Albert Medical Association, Canadian Medical Association, HealthCareCAN, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and Alberta Health Services where he influences clinical practice, patient advocacy, healthy systems operation and development of health policy.
In 2019, Dr. Lafontaine founded SafeSpace, a social enterprise reporting and learning platform that empowers marginalized patients to navigate health systems, supported by other patients and providers. Dr. Lafontaine continues to practice as an Anesthesiologist and is an Associate Clinical
Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta.
