FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 26, 2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ontario Government Breaking Down Barriers to Better Patient Care Renewed, connected and sustainable health care system will reduce hallway health care by focusing resources on patient needs <\/p>\n\n\n\n
QUEENS PARK \u2014 Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Long Term Care, has announced the Government of Ontario\u2019s long-term plan to fix and strengthen the public health care system by focusing directly on the needs of Ontario\u2019s patients and families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe people of Ontario deserve a connected health care system that puts their needs first,\u201d said Elliott. \u201cAt the same time the people of Ontario deserve peace of mind that this system is sustainable and accessible for all patients and their families, regardless of where you live, how much you make, or the kind of care you require.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ontario\u2019s new plan would improve access to services and patient experience by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\uf0a7 Organizing health care providers to work as one coordinated team, focused on patients and specific local needs. Patients would experience easy transitions from one health provider to another (for example, between hospitals and home care providers, with one patient story, one patient record and one care plan). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\uf0a7 Providing patients, families and caregivers help in navigating the public health care system, 24\/7. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\uf0a7 Integrating multiple provincial agencies and specialized provincial programs into a single agency to provide a central point of accountability and oversight for the health care system. This would improve clinical guidance and support for providers and enable better quality care for patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\uf0a7 Improving access to secure digital tools, including online health records and virtual care options for patients \u2013 a 21st-century approach to health care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf we expect real improvements that patients will experience first-hand, we must better coordinate the public health care system, so it is organized around people\u2019s needs and outcomes. This will enable local teams of health care providers to know and understand each patient\u2019s needs and provide the appropriate, high-quality connected care Ontarians expect and deserve,\u201d said Elliott. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ontario\u2019s renewed patient-centric approach is paired with historic investments in long-term care for seniors and improved mental health and addictions services for families. Ontario is investing $3.8 billion over 10 years to establish a comprehensive and connected system for mental health and addictions treatment, and adding 15,000 new long-term care beds over five years and 30,000 beds over 10 years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur government is taking a comprehensive, pragmatic approach to addressing the public health care system,\u201d said Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma. \u201cBy relentlessly focusing on patient experience, and on better connected care, we will reduce wait times and end hallway health care. Ontarians in Brantford-Brant can be confident that there will be a sustainable health care system for them when and where they need it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Quick Facts<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 The government intends to introduce legislation that would, if passed, support the establishment of local Ontario Health Teams that connect health care providers and services around patients and families, and integrate multiple existing provincial agencies into a single health agency \u2013 Ontario Health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 The entire process will be seamlessly phased in to ensure that Ontarians can continue to contact their health care providers as usual throughout the transition process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 The government has consulted with patients, families, nurses, doctors and others who provide direct patient care, including the Premier\u2019s Council on Improving Healthcare and Ending Hallway Medicine and its working groups, the Minister\u2019s Patient and Family Advisory Council, and health system and academic experts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Ontario currently has a large network of provincial and regional agencies, clinical oversight bodies and 1,800 health service provider organizations. This creates confusion for both patients and providers trying to navigate the health care system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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For more information, contact MPP Will Bouma at 519-759-0361 or will.bouma@pc.ola.org <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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