The Hearts-based Education and Anti-colonial Learning in Healthcare (HEAL Healthcare) project at the University of Northern BC combines arts and humanities to shake up longstanding and well-established health disparities.
HEAL Healthcare uses the premise that healthcare is both an art and a science so the project uses poetry, storytelling, visual arts, and other creative tools to address healthcare biases, to understand patient experiences, and to humanize healthcare systems and cultures.
“The HEAL. Healthcare project provides systemic change that is long overdue,” said X'staam Hana'ax (Nicole Halbauer), HEAL Healthcare project manager, said.
“I often think about the extractive ways that we talk about cultural sensitivity and cultural competency. The HEAL. Healthcare project addresses internal biases rather than just learning about others. The diverse group of contributors created lessons that everyone can learn from in a kind and gentle way. I think it's going to really change the face of medicine for all of us and improve health outcomes."
HEAL Healthcare has brought together artists, writers, activists, and people with lived experience to create arts-based and anti-oppressive learning materials. HEAL Healthcare teaching tools are designed to inspire anyone in any healthcare field: healthcare providers and professionals, including nurses, dentists, doctors, healthcare staff and administrators, and healthcare students, educators, and institutions.
"As an anti-colonial medical educator, I believe there needs to be more tools to combat oppressive practices,” said D.r Sarah de Leeuw, canada research chair, Humanities and Health Inequities, research director, Health Arts Research Centre. “Every tool on this website asks for self-reflection and internal focus. Health educators and clinicians can benefit from the innovative, art-based tools offered through this website.
The free and open-access lessons are available at HEALhealthcare.ca. This innovative project is in collaboration with the Health Arts Research Centre (HARC – healtharts.ca) and the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health (NCCIH – nccih.ca).
