LHIN officials say getting care closer to home is a reality

From left to right: Louise Paquette, CEO, North East Local Health Integration Network, Raphael Delli Quadri, Advance Practice Physiotherapist for the North East Joint Assessment Centre and Timmins and District Hospital, and Roger Walker. Photo provided

North East LHIN
News Release

******************

Getting care closer to home is a reality in Northeastern Ontario for people waiting to have surgery or requiring more community-based care in their later years of life. Five years ago, people in this part of the province waited a lot longer for surgeries and home-based care than they do today.

Over the past two years, the North East LHIN has worked with 14 orthopedic surgeons across the region to implement five new Joint Assessment Centres as part of the North East Hip and Knee Replacement Program at participating hospitals (Hôpital régional de Sudbury Regional Hospital, North Bay General Hospital, Sault Area Hospital, Timmins and District Hospital, and West Parry Sound Health Centre). As a result of the Centres, people are benefitting from a more coordinated and timely approach to care. As well, the concerted efforts of hospitals working together is helping to ensure Northeastern Ontario’s surgery wait time targets are met and people are receiving the care they need closer to home.

A $200,000 enhancement to the North East Hip and Knee Replacement Program will allow the local programs to expand and meet the needs of more Northerners requiring hip and knee surgery. This additional funding of $200,000 brings the program up to $1 million dollars.

A $100,000 investment will go towards developing a model to help small communities maximize access to general surgery services. Notre Dame Hospital in Hearst will lead this project which will look at how to maximize services to enhance recruitment opportunities and resources available in Northeastern Ontario. Additional funding is also being provided to implement an online tool that hospitals can use to determine availability of specialists across the region and where best to send patients to get the surgery they need.

A $125,000 investment in assisted living services in Kapuskasing will enhance personal care and homemaking services for eight high-risk seniors. The local chapter of the Canadian Red Cross will deliver the services, helping seniors to remain at home longer and reducing wait lists for care.

Quotes

“Our priority is to improve access to care by reducing the amount of time people wait or travel. Local health care programs meet the needs of fellow Northerners best – it’s the raison d’être of the North East LHIN.”
-Louise Paquette, CEO, North East LHIN

“The Joint Assessment Centre at our hospital has enhanced our ability to address challenges in providing access to timely joint replacement surgery while ensuring the sustainability of orthopedic services within our district.”
-Roger Walker, President and CEO, Timmins and District Hospital

“We are delighted to be leading the Optimization of General Surgery. We applaud the work of the North East LHIN in bringing providers together and ensuring that people benefit from a truly integrated surgery call program.”
-France Dallaire CEO, Notre Dame Hospital, Hearst.


“As we voiced at the recently held North East LHIN community engagements, our community needs more assisted living services. Thanks to the NE LHIN for hearing our voices and responding.”
-Heather Cranney, Timmins and District Branch Manager, Canadian Red Cross

Quick Facts:

Assessment Centres ($200,000 additional funding)
Sudbury opened the first North Eastern Joint Assessment Centre in February 2010 as a central point of intake for patients suffering from hip and knee arthritis. Timmins and North Bay launched their programs in February 2011. Sault Ste. Marie opened their doors in June of this year.

Joint Assessment Centres enable: lower wait times for hip and knee replacement assessments and surgery, timely identification and management of patients who are not surgical candidates, better patient education regarding appropriate community resources, improved overall quality of care, and less need for patients to travel outside of the North East for surgery.

Integrated Call Schedule ($100,000 additional funding)
The distribution of call schedules across the region will diminish the frustration level expressed by providers of hospital emergency departments and surgeons in the region’s hospitals. It will also allow for better planning in addressing gaps in service, especially as it related to ER coverage.

The optimization of general surgery services will assist small hospitals in making efficient use their resources, such as operating rooms, staffing and equipment.
Access to general surgeons is becoming increasing difficult for many of the small hospitals in the North East and across the province. The development of a model will allow people to remain closer to home for surgical procedures.

Assisted Living in Kapuskasing ($125,000 additional funding)The North East LHIN has delivered new or enhanced assisted living services to 700 more Northeastern Ontario seniors who are able to comfortably and safely stay out of hospital or a long-term care home.

******************