| Historic Investments and Innovative Programs Making Better Care Available to Patients Faster
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne was at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre today to explain how the government’s investment of nearly $19 billion in health care and an expanded innovative bundled care program will help reduce wait times at Ontario hospitals.Premier Wynne highlighted the government’s commitment, which represents an increase of $822 million, or 4.6 per cent, in funding for day-to-day operations. This will allow hospitals to invest with more precision in the care and supports that further reduce wait times and address the specific needs of their patients and community.
Patients will benefit from these increased investments through reduced wait times for hip, knee, cataract, shoulder, cornea and spine surgery. This will also give hospitals the resources to expand essential services such as cardiac care, critical care, chemotherapy and treatment for strokes.
Premier Wynne also explained how the government is tackling wait times at hospitals by expanding Ontario’s Bundled Care Program, which will help patients return home sooner after surgery and reduce emergency room visits and hospital readmissions. This innovative approach will play an important role in freeing up space in health care facilities by helping patients transition from hospital to home faster and with the right supports. Bundled care coordinates services and integrates funding for a patient’s full spectrum of care for a specific health issue — from the hospital right through to follow-up home care.
Ontario tested the bundled care model through a successful pilot program. Based on the success of an initial six sites, the program will now expand to 24 health care teams providing care of hip and knee surgery patients. In 2018-19, this expansion is expected to help more than 20,000 patients, increasing overall efficiency and freeing up hospital beds for more patients.
Reducing hospital wait times for patients is part of the government’s plan to support care, create opportunity and make life more affordable during this period of rapid economic change. The plan includes free prescription drugs for everyone under 25, and 65 or over, through the biggest expansion of medicare in a generation, free tuition for hundreds of thousands of students, a higher minimum wage and better working conditions, and easier access to affordable child care. |
