The interCultural Online health Network (iCON) is a community-driven health promotion initiative that supports multicultural communities, patients and caregivers across BC to optimize chronic disease prevention and self-management.

Partnership & collaboration.

• Collaboration with community health care providers, partners from health authorities, community organizations, education institutions, government, and media to promote best practices in chronic disease prevention and management.
• Partnership with volunteers, students and health professional trainees to design and deliver community outreach activities, providing learning opportunities related to delivering culturally competent care.

Culturally-tailored health promotion & outreach.

• Culturally tailored programming in the community’s native language to improve access to chronic disease management education. iCON hosts skills-building workshops and public health forums on a variety of chronic diseases, promoting health and wellness, chronic disease prevention and empowering patients with information and skills to manage their health.
• Patient education on chronic disease prevention and management with focus on disease awareness and knowledge, prevention and lifestyle modification, risk reduction and treatment options. iCON develops patient resources and information handouts to support patients in their self-management journey and help patients and families navigate the BC health care system.

Multi-channel dissemination.

• Health information shared through webcasts, a website (iconproject.org) and through media projects such as community televisions and radio programming to reach community members.
• Health events, information and partner initiatives shared through social media including Facebook and Twitter.

Digital literacy to support patient self-management.

• Linking patients with web-based health information and digital tools to support chronic disease self-management.
• Building awareness around and share best practices in using digital tools to support health and wellness goals.

Evaluation & impact.

• Evaluation to track reach and measure program impact on patient activation, behaviour change, health attitudes, as well as knowledge and skills for self-care.
• Program assessment to ensure community responsiveness, improvement and excellence.
• Dissemination of program results through knowledge sharing events, publication and participation in conferences.

The interCultural Online Health Network (iCON) is a partnership between Digital Emergency Medicine and the Patients as Partners program and is funded by the B.C. Ministry of Health.