Health News For Champlain


Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Ontario Improving Access to Care in Hospitals Across the Province

Ontario is improving access to care in hospitals across the province, helping to reduce wait times and support increased access to services that patients and families rely on.

Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long Term Care, was at Mount Sinai Hospital, part of Sinai Health System, in Toronto today to highlight the new investment, recently announced in the 2016 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review. Mount Sinai Hospital is receiving over $1.9 million in 2016/17 to improve access to care for patients and families.

The new investment ensures that all public hospitals in Ontario have received, at a minimum, a two per cent increase to their base funding this year. Additional funding has been provided to hospitals to support population growth and changing health care needs in their communities.

The funding will help hospitals maintain and improve access to key services such as obstetrics, elective surgeries and diagnostic imaging, and will help reduce the length of hospital stays for patients.

Improving access to hospital services is part of the government's plan to build a better Ontario through its Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care, which provides patients with faster access to the right care; better home and community care; the information they need to live healthy; and a health care system that is sustainable for generations to come.

Quick Facts
  • Other Toronto area hospitals receiving funding include: over $1.9 million for St. Michael's Hospital; over $300,000 for Women's College Hospital; over $5 million for the University Health Network.
  • Ontario is investing an additional $140 million in public hospitals across the province to ensure that they continue to meet the growing needs of their local communities. This new funding builds on an increase of more than $345 million for Ontario’s hospitals as part of the 2016 Budget.
  • According to a recent report from the Fraser Institute, Ontario has the shortest median wait times to see a specialist in the country. The province has committed to further reducing specialist wait times in The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care’s most recent mandate letter.
  • There are 147 public hospitals in Ontario.
  • This year’s $51.8 billion health care budget is a 2.1 per cent increase over last year – greater than the rate of inflation.

Additional Resources
Quotes

“In recent years, hospitals have become more efficient while improving patient care, even as they face increased demand for services. Through this additional investment, our government is committed to ensuring hospitals maintain a high level of care to address the increased health care needs of a growing and aging population.”
Dr. Eric Hoskins
Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

“A healthy community is vital for Ontario’s economy. That’s why our government is providing additional funding to every single public hospital across the province to improve our world-renowned health care system. This funding will mean local hospitals can deliver Ontarians better access to health care when they need it, as close to home as possible.”
Charles Sousa
Minister of Finance

“Today’s announcement is a great investment in the wellbeing of patients and I am pleased to see a continued commitment to improving the quality of care that is offered to Ontarians. This demonstrates that patient wellness remains a top priority and with the conversations I have had in my riding with health professionals and constituents, this announcement does that.”
Han Dong
MPP Trinity-Spadina

“On behalf of the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA), I would like to thank the Government of Ontario for supporting hospitals with this needed investment as they work to provide care to patients under challenging circumstances. The resources made available, thanks to today’s announcement, will help ensure continued access to high quality health services in communities across Ontario.”
Anthony Dale
President and CEO, Ontario Hospital Association

“On behalf of the patients and staff of Mount Sinai Hospital, part of Sinai Health System, I want to thank Minister Hoskins for this welcome investment. While we continuously look at ways to drive improved performance and deliver quality care as efficiently and as effectively as possible, this additional funding acknowledges the pressure that our system is facing. We look forward to continuing to work closely together with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to achieve the objective of excellence in patient care, including access and efficiency, all of which we are jointly committed to.”
Dr. Gary Newton
President and CEO, Sinai Health System


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