Annual Report 2021 - Improving the patient experience with the Central Ontario Health Team for Specialized Populations

IMPROVING THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE
WITH THE CENTRAL ONTARIO HEALTH TEAM FOR SPECIALIZED POPULATIONS

In our quest to work together on system collaboration, progress on the development of the Central

Ontario Health Team for Specialized Populations continues.

Ontario Health Teams (OHT) are transforming the health care system from one where the patient has to coordinate their care from different services like family physicians, hospitals, and home care services, to one where groups of providers coordinate their services to better serve the patient.

Working with a number of partners, this innovative model is highly focused on care that is needed by a smaller proportion of patients within a geography. By overlaying a regional specialty model that spans the boundaries of other local OHTs, we can ensure the critical mass that is needed to deliver specialized services. The Central OHT for Specialized Populations is the connector between local OHTs and provincial initiatives. This model:
* Builds on existing collaborations resulting in better care
* Avoids fragmentation of specialized services
* Ensures there is a critical mass needed to deliver specialized services
* Ensures access to specialized services
* Supports the identification of service efficiencies so that resources can be re-allocated to address
service gaps

OUR INNOVATIVE MODEL IN ACTION

Supporting Seniors

With support from the Couchiching Family Health Team, frail seniors were identified at the COVID-19 testing centre. The Specialized Geriatric Services team followed up with these seniors after their visit to ensure they had supports in place to get groceries and other needed supplies early on in the pandemic.

Supporting Children, Youth and their Families

A pediatrician with a specialty in mental health is now working closely with the team at a primary care Family Health Team office. Children in need of specialized mental health care now receive it on site and don’t have to travel to a see a new care provider in a new location.

Supporting Indigenous Peoples

With leadership from our Indigenous partners, we are working toward cultural adaptations of Structured Psychotherapy interventions, and implementation of a very successful addiction support program called Red Road to Recovery.

Visit the Central Ontario Health Team for Specialized Populations website for more information: www.ohtspecialized.ca.