This Canadian investigation invited healthcare providers and decisionmakers to identify any challenges that they see facing Indigenous patients and families when accessing health services in a large city in southern Ontario. The respondents identified widespread discrimination against Indigenous people as a major challenge for the healthcare system. Analyses of the interview data highlighted 3 key discrimination subthemes: (1) an unwelcoming environment; (2) stereotyping and stigma and; (3) practice informed by racism. The study researchers state that these findings highlight the importance of going beyond simply making health services more welcoming and inclusive, if healthcare access is to be meaningfully improved for Indigenous peoples. Moreover, they note that practice norms shaped by biases informed by discrimination against Indigenous people are widespread and compromise standards of care. The researchers call for a quality improvement strategy designed to address the problem throughout the healthcare system. As they note, addressing the problem in this way will require not only a significant shift in the attitudes, knowledge, and skills of healthcare providers, but also, healthcare organisations will need to establish accountabilities to ensure equitable health services for Indigenous peoples.
