{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Innovating and Bridging Gaps in IBD Care: Dr. Juan-Nicol\u00e1s Pe\u0148a-S\u00e1nchez","description":"Growing up in Columbia had a profound impact on Dr. Juan-Nicolas Pe\u0303na-Sa\u0300nchez. In this episode, hear why the former family physician pivoted, becoming Saskatchewan's lead in finding the best ways to treat Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in rural and Indigenous patients.   Even as a teenager, Juan-Nicol\u00e1s Pe\u00f1a-S\u00e1nchez could see stark differences in health for those who had medical coverage \u2014 and those without, thanks to his stepfather, an emergency department physician. \u201cI used to go with him sometimes on shifts to learn and shadow him,\u201d said Pe\u00f1a-S\u00e1nchez said. \u201cThe healthcare system was quite fragmented and most of the population was not covered.\u201d   In the 1990s, the Colombian healthcare system was reformed within the context of \u201cneoliberal health reforms\u201d promoted by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, integrating privatization of the care delivery system, individual health insurance as the mechanism for receiving healthcare, the development of basic benefit plans, among other reforms.   \u201cIt changed the way to practice medicine,\u201d said Pe\u00f1a-S\u00e1nchez, who observed among his stepfather and his medical school instructors\u2019 grew dissatisfied with limits imposed under the new tiered coverage system.   Pe\u00f1a-S\u00e1nchez went on to work for non-governmental organizations in Bogot\u00e1, providing healthcare to individuals living in marginalized communities and with limited resources. After witnessing the inequities amplified by healthcare reforms, Pe\u00f1a-S\u00e1nchez began to analyze health systems themselves. He moved to Spain, Poland, and France to continue his graduate studies, and then to the University of Saskatchewan, where he joined the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology as an associate professor after researching physician satisfaction and alternatives to \u2018fee-for-service\u2019 payment models.   Still, Pe\u00f1a-S\u00e1nchez missed interacting directly with patients, and hearing their stories. Through the College of Medicine, he began learning about inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and moved his focus to innovative models of care for IBD.    Canada\u2019s high prevalence of IBD, particularly Crohn\u2019s disease and ulcerative colitis, stood in stark contrast to his experiences in Colombia.    Dr. Pe\u00f1a-S\u00e1nchez formed the IBD among Indigenous Peoples Research Team after realizing in 2017 there was virtually no data on the incidence, prevalence or treatment of IBD for First Nations and Metis people.   \u201cWe learned that IBD is increasing among First Nations in Saskatchewan,\u201d said Pe\u00f1a-S\u00e1nchez, who started zeroing in on disparities in those patients\u2019 healthcare access and outcomes. Pe\u00f1a-S\u00e1nchez and his team explain their findings in this episode. \u201cHaving that regular access is critical,\u201d he said, advocating for innovative approaches to healthcare delivery.   Dr. Pe\u00f1a-S\u00e1nchez also explored the potential of virtual care, particularly telephone consultations, to improve healthcare access for rural populations. He found rural residents were more satisfied with telephone care compared to urban dwellers, an insight that underscores the need for adaptable healthcare models.    Currently, Dr. Pe\u00f1a-S\u00e1nchez is focused on patient navigation interventions to support individuals with chronic gastrointestinal conditions, particularly in rural Saskatchewan and for Indigenous community members. His research aims to improve access to specialized IBD care and patient outcomes through peer support and patient navigators.     ","author_name":"Researchers Under the Scope","author_url":"https:\/\/medicine.usask.ca\/research\/index.php#ConnectWithUs","html":"