BARRIE -- The Ford government is another step closer to ending hallway health care across Ontario.
Health Minister Christine Elliott was in York Region on Thursday to unveil the Southlake Community Ontario Health Team as one of the first 24 teams in the province to implement a new health care model. The government claims it will fix a fractured operation.
"Ontario health teams will ensure a seamless experience for patients and smooth transitions through the system," Minister Elliott announced. "Patients and families are getting lost in the system. They are falling through the cracks, waiting too long to be able to access the care that they need."
The Southlake team will begin by concentrating on supporting older patients with complex health issues and mental health addiction challenges.
"We're going to start to realign community services to better streamline the pathway for those folks, and to make sure that they can get the services that they need in the community faster. What that will do is keep people out of the hospital when they don't need to be," said Arden Krystal, CEO, Southlake Regional Health Centre.
"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," Elliott stated.
The health teams will help to reduce wait times, coordinate care for patients, essentially taking the guess-work out of navigating the health care system.
The province says the new model will also help reduce clinician burnout.
As the Southlake Community Ontario Health Team works to implement this new model, officials say programs and services will roll out in the new year.
