New North York Ontario Health Team to Provide Better Connected Care for Patients


Monday, 02 December 2019 06:15.PM

- Ontario Health Teams Part of Province’s Plan to End Hallway Health Care. -

(Ministry of Health) - Ontario is delivering on its commitment to end hallway health care and build a connected and sustainable health care system centred around the needs of patients. The province is introducing Ontario Health Teams, a new model of care that brings together health care providers to work as one team.

Today, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, was at the North York Family Medicine Centre, to announce the North York Ontario Health Team as one of the first 24 teams in the province to implement a new model of organizing and delivering health care that better connects patients and providers in their communities to improve patient outcomes. Through an Ontario Health Team, patients will experience easier transitions from one provider to another, including, for example, between hospitals and home care providers, with one patient story, one patient record and one care plan.

"This is an exciting time for health care in Ontario as we finally break down the long-standing barriers that have prevented care providers from working directly with each other to support patients throughout their health care journey," said Elliott. "Together with our health care partners, the North York Ontario Health Team will play an essential role in delivering on our commitment to end hallway health care and building a connected and sustainable public health care system centred around the needs of patients."

The North York Ontario Health Team, known as North York Toronto Health Partners, will create an integrated local health care system for patients and families in the communities it serves. North York Toronto Health Partners will start by focusing on patient groups with more complex and higher needs, including frail seniors, those with mental health and addiction challenges and end of life patients.

"With our new North York Ontario Health Team, patients will benefit from better integrated health care, with a seamless experience when moving between different health care services, providers and settings," said Elliott. "I would like to thank all the health care providers and organizations that helped plan the North York Ontario Health Team; there is lots of work to be done, but with their dedication and hard work, we will continue to improve health care in our communities and ensure Ontarians get the care they deserve."

As it continues its work to integrate care, the North York Toronto Health Partners will put in place 24/7 navigation and care coordination services for patients and families. Patients will receive these services through their integrated primary care teams and the broader Ontario Health Team partners. This work will be implemented in phases and over time will provide care for everyone within the North York Toronto Health Partners' population.

"We're excited and energized that the government of Ontario is entrusting us with building excellence in person inspired health care for our community," said Maggie Keresteci, North York Toronto Health Partners Patient, Family and Caregiver Advisor. "The time for change is now and I'm grateful I can be a part of building an excellent system that will result in a better future for the community of North York, and in fact for all Ontarians."

"With 130 primary care physicians and 21 community organizations collaborating as part of the North York Toronto Health Partners, we have an unprecedented opportunity to build the necessary bridges that will allow patients and families to move through the health care system without feeling alone," said Dr. Maria Muraca, North York Toronto Health Partners Primary Care Co-Chair. "Primary and community care is at the heart of this collaboration and is the foundation for creating a local system integrated across the patient journey."

The North York Toronto Health Partners will begin implementing some of their proposed programs and services in 2020 and will communicate with patients and families about the changes and improvements they can expect in their community.

Ontario has a comprehensive plan to end hallway health care, which includes making investments and advancing new initiatives across four pillars:

1. Prevention and health promotion: keeping patients as healthy as possible in their communities and out of hospitals.
2. Providing the right care in the right place:when patients need care, ensure that they receive it in the most appropriate setting, not always the hospital.
3. Integration and improved patient flow: better integrate care providers to ensure patients spend less time waiting in hospitals when they are ready to be discharged. Ontario Health Teams will play a critical role in connecting care providers and, in doing so, helping to end hallway health care.
4. Building capacity: build new hospital and long-term care beds while increasing community-based services across Ontario.

Quick Facts

- An Ontario Health Team will be responsible for delivering care for their patients, understanding their health care history, directly connecting them to the different types of care they need, and providing 24/7 help in navigating the health care system.
- Ontarians can be confident that they can continue to contact their health care providers as they always have to access the health care they need.
- The first wave of Ontario Health Teams is being approved after an extensive readiness assessment process, which involved significant time, collaboration, research and effort from partners across the health care sector.
- The government will continue working with its partners to review their applications to become an Ontario Health Team.

 

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