four people sitting around a meeting room table

Telling the stories of Indigenous Cancer Patient Multidisciplinary Rounds

Understanding the impacts of an innovative model of care supporting Indigenous cancer clients

Since 2020, Cancer Care Alberta has been operating “Indigenous Cancer Patient Multidisciplinary Rounds” in Calgary and Edmonton. This novel model of care supports Indigenous cancer clients facing complex care barriers, and helps sustain the providers who work together in advocating for these clients and system changes. Facilitated by a Patient Navigator for Indigenous clients, Rounds bring together multiple disciplines of health care providers and support persons across sectors, who would otherwise rarely have opportunities to meet. Monthly Rounds (by online videoconferencing) provide a forum to discuss and share care of patients experiencing care complexities. Importantly, Rounds also articulate and seek to address systemic inequities and racism faced by Indigenous peoples and foster trusting relationships between providers.

"Telling the stories of Indigenous Cancer Patient Indigenous Rounds" was a co-design project including Indigenous Cancer Patient Multidisciplinary Rounds participants, Elders and Knowledge Keepers, clinicians and care providers, researchers and others, to understand the impact of Rounds and to share this model with other groups and populations.

Objectives

The objectives of the project were to:

  1. Understand the impact of Rounds from the perspectives of Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Indigenous and non-Indigenous health and community care providers and health system administrators.
  2. Describe the factors and practices that support operation of Rounds.
  3. Develop resources, relationships, knowledge and capacity that can be used to share and spread this model of care. 

Digital stories

Watch these three digital stories to learn more about Indigenous Cancer Patient Multidisciplinary Rounds

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First Teachings

Why Rounds were started

Watch
Indigenous woman joining a table in a meeting room

Into The Circle

How Rounds got started

Watch
Indigenous woman in red coat walking outside away from camera

Walking Together

How Rounds operate

Watch

Handouts

Explore these handouts to learn how to develop your own Indigenous Patient Multidisciplinary Rounds or join existing Rounds.

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Full handout

Interested in setting up Indigenous Patient Multidisciplinary Rounds? View our 5-page full handout for tips and suggestions. 

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Short handout

Are you planning on joining Indigenous Patient Multidisciplinary Rounds? View our 3-page handout for tips from attendees. 

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Infographic: ICPMR Project Summary

Interested in the findings from the "Telling the Stories of Indigenous Cancer Patient Multidisciplinary Rounds" project? View our 1-page infographic summarizing attendees' experiences of Indigenous Cancer Patient Multidisciplinary Rounds.

Looking for more information on Indigenous Cancer Patient Navigators or resources to support Indigenous people with cancer and their families? Visit Cancer Care Alberta's Indigenous Cancer Health website.

Funders and partners

"Telling the stories of Indigenous Cancer Patient Multidisciplinary Rounds" was funded by grants from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (Healthier Albertan Grant, #276) and the University of Calgary (O’Brien Institute for Public Health Research Catalyst Grant and Indigenous Health Education Pathways to Healing Award).

We are grateful to the partners and supporters of this project: the Alberta First Nations Information Governance Centre (AFNIGC) and Cancer Care Alberta.