Get to know the TELUS Health team: Paul Alyward

Whether it’s from the TELUS office, the home office, or a TELUS Health medical clinic – our team members are leveraging TELUS’ world-leading technology in combination with their passion and expertise to find ways to support the health and wellbeing of individuals, all with the goal of building healthier communities and workplaces around the world. 

In this installment of our series highlighting TELUS Health team members, meet Paul Alyward, RN BN, General Manager of TELUS Health Occupational Health and Corporate Wellness. He plays a critical role in ensuring that employees across Canada are getting the personalized and preventive care they need. Plus, hear Paul talk more about Team Broken Earth, an organization made up of volunteers who are increasing access to care for communities in need around the world.

Q: Thanks for sitting down with us today, Paul. Can you tell us more about what inspired you to join TELUS Health?

A: I joined TELUS Health in 2020 after a 24 year career working as a nurse in occupational health, as well as emergency and critical care medevac. I initially joined the TELUS Health family when the organization I worked for was acquired.

Q: What is your favourite part about your role at TELUS Health?

A: My favorite part of being part of TELUS Health is the vision of making the world a healthier place. As a nurse, helping others in health is an important part of why I chose the career – and overall, being able to lead a very engaged team is both inspiring and rewarding.

 Q: How is your team contributing to TELUS Health’s overall mission of helping create healthier workplaces and communities?

A: Occupational health and corporate wellness drive a focus on getting and keeping people healthy in the workplace. My colleagues and I create healthier workplaces and communities both through onsite and in-clinic assessments that ensure a healthy workplace.

Q:  Could you tell us more about Team Broken Earth, and your involvement with the project? 

A: Team Broken Earth is a Canadian volunteer medical team composed of nurses, doctors, and more. Team volunteers take the time away from family and work to raise money required to travel and take vacation for each mission. Our quest is to travel the world and provide medical care to those in need.
 

I have been involved with the team for 10 years, having travelled to Guatemala, Haiti and Northern Canada. I initially got involved because I realized how fortunate I was in life, and wanted to contribute to making the world a better place. 

Q: What an amazing initiative. Can you elaborate more on the trips you and the team have made to Guatemala in 2023?

In 2023, I have had the privilege of being able to make 2 trips to Guatemala with Team Broken Earth. The first trip in January was to rural and very remote locations where some folks had little or no access to healthcare. We triaged hundreds of people each day as they waited for hours in the hot sun to meet us. I will never forget the heat, smells and the thankful faces.

This November I was part of the largest team to ever travel. 60 surgical medical staff and logistics crew gathered from our Newfoundland & Calgary teams. We met at Antigua, Guatemala and performed 133 surgeries over a 5 day period. The surgeries changed the lives of some Guatemalans who would not have had access to this level of care otherwise. To witness patients and family cry joyful tears in recovery rooms multiple times was very humbling. It made the 22 hours of travel and the long, long days worth it.

During this November trip, we benefited from TELUS’ global reach, and had the absolute fortune of having TELUS International become involved via our office in Guatemala City. Each day we had 4-5 interpreters arrive in Antigua in early am, after a 1-2 hour drive, to join our team. To say the impact was powerful, would not quite describe the benefit. The TELUS International team worked in our recovery and operating rooms, allowing often apprehensive and awakening patients to provide care and conversation through interpretation. Our teams of nurses and doctors were able to elevate care as a direct result. Imagine being in an OR or waking from a surgery and not being able to communicate with the caregiver due to language barriers? The group effort of Team Broken Earth, TELUS & TELUS International was award winning. The people of Guatemala were met with very inspired medical staff and interpreters who worked together, making the world a better place every day there.

Q: That’s amazing, Team Broken Earth is truly doing incredible work in regions where people need access to care. Finally Paul, can you tell us how TELUS’ values resonate with you, and support your personal health and wellbeing? (eg. work/life balance, social purpose, health benefits etc.)

A: My values guide me to want to help others, which is why I became a nurse 32 years ago, and why I joined team Broken Earth. TELUS’ values of helping and supporting the community are the same as mine. When I became a member of the TELUS team, it didn’t take me long to realize that TELUS’ values were an important part of why the company is so successful. I want to make the world a better place, and so does TELUS Health.