WHEREAS the Provinces Health Connections Program offers discounted travel subsidies, administered by Health Authorities, to help defray costs for rural residents who must travel significant distances for medical care outside their home communities; AND WHEREAS community perception of significant distances may vary depending on factors such as the availability of subsidized public transit and the availability of services in home communities: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province be requested to extend the Health Connections Program to subsidize travel for medical care for any rural residents outside their home community, regardless of distance.
Ministry of Health The Government of British Columbia Government recognizes the challenges that face British Columbians who live in rural and remote areas in accessing health care services. In 2005, the Province of British Columbia invested 6 million in 2005 in the four health authorities with the largest rural and remote areas to establish locally developed travel assistance programs. Programs such as Health Connections in Northern Health are assisting patients in rural areas who must travel out of their home communities for medical services. Northern Health, Interior Health, Vancouver Island Health and Vancouver Coastal Health have developed programs with and for the communities they serve, focusing on areas of greatest need within their own regions. Health authority partnerships primarily involve new and expanded local ground transportation services through grants and contracts with private providers, regional districts and community organizations. Patients are eligible when traveling to larger centers to access physician-referred, non-emergency medical care unavailable in their home communities. Governments objective is to deliver a cost-effective and sustainable program that provides transportation options to those patients in greatest need. While it is not feasible to cover all medically related travel costs, health authorities have established programs and services that meet the priority medical transportation needs in the region. Health authorities have put in place programs that support as many people as possible who are compromised in their ability to easily access the medical services they need.