The structure of the current healthcare system is under strain and not sustainable. Patients have trouble navigating a siloed system and may not receive the right care at the right place at the right time. As patients struggle where to turn or don’t have appropriate services available to them, they often end up in overcrowded hospitals, giving way to the term “hallway healthcare”.
To learn more about the pressures leading to the creation of OHTs, please click here to read “Hallway Health Care: A System Under Strain”, the first report from the Premier’s Council on Improving Healthcare and Ending Hallway Medicine.
Transformative Objectives
The Ontario Government intends to transform the delivery of health care with the following objectives:
A healthcare system that centres around people, patients, families and caregivers
Continuous improvement of the patient experience
Promote better value and ensure best outcomes
Improve the physical health, mental health and overall well-being of Ontarians
A sustainable, digitally-enabled, publicly funded healthcare system
Empowerment of providers to work together to deliver high-quality, coordinated care
Commitment to equity and promotion of equitable health outcomes
Recognize the diversity within Ontario’s communities (including requirements of the French Language Services Act)
Recognize the role of Indigenous peoples in planning, design, delivery and evaluation of health services in their communities
To understand more about the OHT model and the goals of system transformation, click here for the Ministry of Health’s website.
For Providers
Implementation of the Ontario Health Team (OHT) model is intended to shift the delivery of healthcare to a coordinated continuum of care. Providers and organizations within the OHT will be clinically, administratively and fiscally accountable for providing care within the region.
Ontario Government Announces Healthcare Overhaul
Listen to the Government of Ontario’s plan to make the system more patient centered by reorganizing how healthcare is delivered in the province.
Patient Expectations
Patients expect a healthcare system which…
Is respectful of individual identities, beliefs and cultures
Recognizes them as a part of the care team, are fully informed and have the right to make choices in their care
Acts with empathy and compassion recognizing that individual care plans should acknowledge unique physical, mental and emotional needs without stigma and assumptions
Incorporates accountabilities that are driven by patient/family experiences, outcomes and seamless communication about care
Values the experiences of patient, families and caregivers and integrates those into policy, planning and decision making
Delivers safe care by a care team that is accountable and supported to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively
Is transparent and allows them to be meaningfully involved in their care, health records are accessible to them and voicing complaints or concerns will not impact the quality of care received
Provides equitable and fair access regardless of language, place of origin, background, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, marital or family status, education, ethnicity, race, religion, socioeconomic status or location within Ontario
In respect of these patient values and expectations, the NSOHT will design a local system to leverage current resources and enhance integrated care and transitions among providers. This will lead to improvements in the patient experience and better health outcomes.
The Ministry of Health provides regular Connected Care updates to distribute timely communications about ongoing changes and developments. You can click here to read past updates and to sign up for future announcements.
