Table 4 Activities Designed to Enhance Equity-Oriented Health Care

Clinic A

• Initiated new working relationship with the local Indigenous community in an effort to address the history of tense relations between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, leaders and staff members.

• Developed new harm reduction policies and practices to reduce stigma and enhance the range of strategies for supporting patients with substance use issues.

Clinic B

• Integrated explicit trauma- and violence-informed approaches into the routine provision of care in part in response to the influx of new immigrants and refugees with significant histories of trauma and violence.

• Developed a strategy for preventing and responding to vicarious trauma experienced by staff.

Clinic C

• Opened the clinic doors 30 min earlier so that patients could wait indoors to book same-day appointments, instead of lining up outside the entrance exposed to the elements and judgements of passersby.

• Initiated a chronic pain group to help patients learn about the often complex causes of chronic pain and non-pharmacological pain management strategies.

Clinic D

• Repurposed a section of the waiting room to create a child-friendly space for women caring for small children as a strategy for promoting safety and comfort.

• Hired and integrated an Indigenous Elder to participate in clinic activities including visiting with patients in the waiting room and participating in clinical team meetings to enhance incorporation of Indigenous knowledge and approaches.