OHA Makes Recommendations to Optimize the Role of Complex Continuing Care and Rehabilitation Services in the Face of Health System Transformation
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Tuesday, May 30, 2006
OHA Makes Recommendations to Optimize the Role of Complex Continuing Care and Rehabilitation Services in the Face of Health System Transformation
Toronto – A greater focus on complex continuing care and rehabilitation services may help to alleviate pressures in the health care system and contribute to changes in patterns of practice along the continuum of care, maintains a report released today by the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA). “Optimizing the Role of Complex Continuing Care and Rehabilitation in the Transformation of the Health Care Delivery System” is available at www.oha.com.
“As Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and other health transformation projects are introduced across the province, we have an opportunity to build a greater appreciation of complex continuing care and rehabilitation services, and to leverage the expertise and contributions these sectors provide,” said OHA President and CEO Hilary Short. “The OHA is committed to working on this in partnership with hospitals, the government, and other health care providers.
The report aims to provide a broader understanding about the potential role the province’s complex continuing care and rehabilitation sectors can play in more effectively integrating care along the care continuum. It also sets out a number of recommendations on how to make better use of the services within these sectors, including:
• Working with the post-acute sector to develop a systemic approach to managing/planning complex continuing care and rehabilitation services at the local, regional and provincial level.
• Further articulating the understanding of differences in care among programs (i.e. complex continuing care, rehabilitation, long-term care, convalescent, interim ALC beds, etc.)
• Strengthening policy leadership to support post-acute care services, and positioning complex continuing care and rehabilitation as critical resources along the care continuum.
• Developing a systemic approach to discharge planning.
• Establishing and/or enhancing new programs to better meet the needs of specific population groups.
• Assessing capacity and funding issues to correlate with system needs and intensity of care provided in complex continuing care and rehabilitation beds/facilities.
• Developing consistent clinical practice patterns that reflect best practice protocols (by patient population) in the use of services.
• Ensuring ALC patients requiring complex continuing care and rehabilitation are so designated.
With leadership provided by the OHA, the report was developed by the organization’s Complex Continuing Care and Rehabilitation Provincial Leadership Council, which is comprised of hospital leaders from across the province.
“As LHINs and other transformation projects are introduced, the report will serve as a strong foundation from which we can promote awareness of the vital role complex continuing care and rehabilitation services continue to play in strengthening the system’s capacity of care,” said Short. “Only by ensuring more appropriate use of these services along the care continuum will their full potential be realized.”
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