Quest Medical Lab

History of Quest Health

Since 2001, the Quest Inn has been providing overflow accommodations for FNIHB medical access for many different Northern Manitoba First Nations. Community members had need of safe, convenient lodging when accessing the essential medical services that most people in urban areas take for granted.

During these early years, we learnt how difficult it was for northern First Nations members to access diagnostics, treatments, and visits with medical specialists because of the travel and logistics involved. Due to these challenges, many illnesses would go undetected or untreated. Community leaders expressed the need for their own facility where its members could safely go while making it easier to attend their medical appointments.

After recognizing the challenging demands community members face just to access healthcare, the Quest Inn formally re-branded itself as the Quest Health Centre, committing to the vision of providing excellence in medical access accommodations, offering a home away from home so patients could focus on their healthcare needs and recoveries.

Chief Clarence Easter of Chemawawin Cree Nation, leading the call for better medical access for his people, found like-minded community leaders in Bunibonibee Cree Nation, Manto Sipi Cree Nation, and God’s Lake First Nation, all of whom were in desperate need to find ways for their community members to access adequate medical services.

A partnership was formed between Quest Health and the aforementioned four First Nations communities to develop the Natawiwewak Medical Clinic, with the goal to increase medical capacity within each community.

The Clinic, located in Winnipeg, is the home base for physicians who travel directly to the communities, offering primary care services in addition to medical services already established within the community. Physicians, while in the city, also provide follow-up care for those that are discharged from hospital stays, before the patient returns home, with the overall goal of providing seamless, continuance of care that has been sorely missing.

It wasn’t long, however, before the glaringly underserviced mental health crisis in the North became a major focus for Quest Health. A team of social workers and Mental Health workers was assembled with the goal of increasing mental health capacity both in the Community as well as programs in the City of Winnipeg, mirroring, and later surpassing our physical health programs.

Today, Quest Health Mental Health Services provides life saving mental wellness services and programs throughout the North as well as programs, classes and consultations in the City. Quest Health Mental Wellness Services, together with the newly rebranded Quest Health Clinic, has become the leader in developing unique, creative solutions, innovative programs, and increasing overall health services and capacity in our partnering communities and beyond.

The recent addition of our Patient Services Desk helps to alleviate the challenges and confusion that many community members face while navigating through their personal health journey. Patient Services assists with appointments, travel, as well as accessing our in-house pharmaceutical services.

As we look to the future, Quest Health will continue to evolve in its mission to be a complete Health and Wellness solution to the critically underserviced communities we serve.