How an Indigenous design studio helped improve access to health care at UHN

Mike Anderson, the strategic lead for University Health Network’s Indigenous Health Program, worked with the Indigenous Design Studio at Brook McIlroy to design a culturally safe place for Indigenous patients at Toronto Western Hospital.

When the Indigenous Health Program (IHP) team at the University Health Network (UHN) went to Indigenous patients for feedback about what could make hospital spaces more welcoming, there was one overarching request: natural materials like wood, so the patients could see a connection to the living world.

Unfortunately, strict healthcare regulations didn’t allow the use of natural materials, which posed a problem for team, which was working on creating a first-of-its-kind Indigenous Wellness Centre at UHN’s Toronto Western Hospital. Invested in bridging thi