Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Champlain LHIN Board Highlights
Board Meeting Highlights
August 10, 2011 - Kemptville, Ontario
Updates
Improving Care for Seniors - Fewer hospitalized seniors are being discharged to long-term care homes and more are going home or to rehabilitation programs, according to new data shared by Champlain LHIN staff with LHIN Board members. That means the LHIN is making progress in transforming health care to better meet the needs of seniors. Champlain LHIN CEO Alex Munter explained that the health system is moving away from its historic focus on episodic, acute care to one that helps people manage chronic disease and keeps seniors as healthy and independent as possible. No single health provider can bring about this shift, Mr. Munter said, so the LHIN fulfills a vital role by bringing together multiple health partners working toward a common goal. Examples of innovative programs already under way are enhanced home-care services, assisted living services for high-risk seniors, and restorative care beds in hospitals and other settings. The LHIN has achieved positive results by mobilizing leaders, changing how we think about seniors’ health needs, and making better use of existing resources. As next steps, the LHIN will continue to build on the Home First philosophy, further engage hospitals and community-based health organizations, and measure performance.
LHIN Response: Fire Evacuation from Northern Ontario - In July, 2011, almost 300 individuals from Kingfisher Lake, a remote Aboriginal community in northern Ontario, were evacuated to Ottawa due to forest fires and heavy smoke. The Champlain LHIN was involved in coordinating health services for the evacuees, particularly for the elderly, children and pregnant women. The LHIN connected health providers to the residents, including primary care and home-care services. The LHIN also acted as liaison between Ontario’s Emergency Operations Centre, Health Canada and Ottawa Public Health. The North-West LHIN’s efforts deserve special recognition, as many communities in that region were evacuated. Based on the Champlain LHIN’s involvement in this crisis and in the H1N1 pandemic, it is clear that LHINs play a substantive role during health-care emergencies.
Moving Toward an Electronic Health Record - A new Champlain LHIN pilot project was recently launched that allows clinicians to securely share electronic client information related to laboratory tests and medications. Almost 250 health professionals and support staff at The Ottawa Hospital are now using the new eHealth ‘portal’, and the Champlain LHIN will begin expanding the project to other areas in the region in the fall. The project covers half of drug prescriptions (e.g. for seniors and other specific populations) and lab tests from community laboratories. It has a number of advantages. For instance, clinicians can quickly obtain accurate drug and lab information about patients, helping to expedite the treatment strategy. As well, clinicians don’t need to make numerous phone calls to other health professionals to chase down a lab result, which gives them more time to manage other responsibilities. Patients can also avoid unnecessary repeat tests because information will be easily accessible and not lost as can potentially happen. The pilot project, supported by eHealth Ontario, is a key element of the Champlain LHIN’s eHealth Strategic Plan.
Key Decisions
Funding for Health Service Providers - The Champlain LHIN Board supported the methodology used for 2011/12 hospital budget increases, which were announced in July, 2011 by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Hospitals in the Champlain region are receiving an increase in base funding totaling $23.5 million. Plus, hospitals in areas of our region where the population is growing are receiving a total of $1.3 million in additional base funding. Lastly, small hospitals in the region will receive a total of roughly $388,000 in extra base funding.
The Board also agreed to an increase in base funding of 1.5 per cent to the region’s community-based health providers so they can maintain or enhance services, amounting to more than $5 million. As well as that support for all community-based agencies, the Champlain LHIN will also strategically invest additional resources on strengthening community support services for seniors, expanding youth mental health and addictions services, and improving access to health services across our region.
Board documents are available at www.champlainlhin.on.ca
Source: Champlain Local Health Integration Network
Email: champlain@lhins.on.ca
Website: www.champlainlhin.on.ca
|