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McGuinty Government Easing Ambulance Offload And Emergency Department Wait Times
Monday, January 30, 2006
Acting On Ambulance Delay Report And Implementing Critical Care Strategy
TORONTO, Jan. 30 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is reducing wait times at hospital emergency departments with a $96 million comprehensive action plan, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced today. Smitherman made the announcement as he released the final report of the Hospital Emergency Department and Ambulance Effectiveness Working Group.
"Our government is well aware of the importance of improving access to emergency services and reducing the time paramedics spend waiting with patients at emergency departments," Smitherman said. "I thank Dr. Brian Schwartz and his committee for their diligent and thorough report. It will be extremely useful as we work with our health care partners to resolve these issues."
In 2005, the Hospital Emergency Department and Ambulance Effectiveness Working Group, headed by Dr. Brian Schwartz of Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre's Base Hospital, was established to offer advice on enhanced access and quality of service within the emergency department. The report recommends ways for hospitals and ambulances to transfer patients more efficiently from ambulance paramedics to the hospital emergency department. In response to the report the government will:
- Appoint Ken Deane, President and CEO of St. Joseph's Health Centre
Toronto as chair of the Emergency Department and Ambulance Quality
Implementation Team, which will help the government implement the
report's recommendations.
- Invest $5.18 million in demonstration projects at North York General
Hospital and Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre to
transport select patients to the Branson Urgent Care Centre and
Women's College Urgent Care Centre respectively, instead of the
hospitals' emergency departments.
- Provide $698,000 to St. Michael's Hospital to implement a surge
capacity protocol on how to move patients from the ambulance and into
hospital treatment faster, meaning fewer delays for both the patient
and the medical professional attending to that patient.
"I look forward to working with the government and supporting hospitals in improving ambulance off-load times at Toronto area hospitals," said Deane. "The working group's exceptional report provides a solid framework for moving forward."
Smitherman also unveiled his government's new Critical Care Strategy, which in conjunction with the Schwartz report's recommendations is designed to help ease emergency room pressures.
The Critical Care Strategy will be implemented over the next three years in hospitals across the province. It consists of initiatives in four categories:
- Critical Care Response Teams (CCRTs) - $29.4 million to create CCRTs
across Ontario. CCRTs consist of intensive care physicians, intensive
care nurses and respiratory therapists who are available 24/7 to
spread the skills and expertise of a critical care unit throughout the
entire hospital. This year, the government is establishing 26 CCRTs.
- Increased Intensive Care Unit (ICU) bed capacity - A total of
$38.3 million to open more adult ICU beds and Chronic Assisted
Ventilatory Care beds across Ontario.
- Health Human Resources - A total of $10 million to provide critical
care training to 450 nurses per year, increase the number of training
spots for intensive care doctors by 10 (from eight per year to 18 per
year), support CCRTs, train community hospital physicians in advanced
resuscitation techniques and fund staff retention programs.
- Other system initiatives - An additional $12.2 million will support
related initiatives. Key areas that will receive support include the
establishment of a Performance Measurement System; the development of
a policy to address ethical issues related to critical care access and
a series of quality improvement initiatives.
"Pressures in our emergency departments often reflect challenges in other parts of the health care system," explains Dr. Schwartz. "Critically ill patients can be assessed and treated in the emergency department but they often stay there longer than necessary because there may not be an intensive care unit bed available. By improving services for critically ill patients through the Critical Care Strategy, the government is addressing another root cause of these delays."
"Investing in Critical Care Response Teams, along with the other initiatives announced today, demonstrates the government's willingness and commitment to ensuring that not only Ontarians receive the critical care they deserve, but that they receive it in the most timely manner possible," said Bob Bell, Co-chair of the Critical Care Steering Committee.
Improving access to emergency services is part of the McGuinty government's plan to build a health care system that delivers on three priorities - keeping Ontarians healthy, reducing wait times and providing better access to doctors and nurses.
This news release, along with other media materials, such as matte stories and audio clips, on other subjects, are available on our website at: http://www.health.gov.on.ca under the News Media section.
Version française disponible
Backgrounder
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MCGUINTY GOVERNMENT PLAN TO REDUCE WAIT TIMES AT ONTARIO
EMERGENCY ROOMS
January 30, 2006
In 2005, the Hospital Emergency Department and Ambulance Effectiveness Working Group, headed by Dr. Brian Schwartz of Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre's Base Hospital, was established to offer advice an enhanced access and quality of service within the emergency department. The report recommends ways for hospitals and ambulances to transfer patients more efficiently from ambulance paramedics to the hospital emergency department. The government's response to the report includes:
Urgent Care Centers Demonstration Project
The North York General Hospital and Sunnybrook and Women's College Hospital are each being funded for a two-year demonstration project. The hospitals will be receiving a total of $4.3 million over two years as well as $875,000 in one time costs to add nurses, physicians and other staff, as well as equipment for telemedicine. Selected patients with minor conditions will be transported to the Urgent Care Centers at the Branson site of North York General Hospital or the Women's College site of Sunnybrook and Women's College Hospital, instead of being sent to an Emergency Department. The Toronto Emergency Medical Service will work closely with the hospitals to determine which patients will be sent to the Urgent Care Centers. The Urgent Care Centers will be launched this spring, and after two years of operation, will be evaluated to determine whether they are reducing the time ambulances spend waiting with patients in Emergency Departments and improving the quality of the patient experience in the Emergency Department. If the evaluation is positive, a decision will be made about expanding the arrangement to other communities.
Surge Capacity Protocol Demonstration Project
St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto is being funded a total of $698,800 for a two-year demonstration project that will implement various solutions to improve how patients move through the emergency department, particularly during busy or high volume times. Over a two-year period, the hospital will introduce a hospital-wide team dedicated to improving patient flow, set up patient pre-admission and pre-discharge lounges and implement an electronic bed management system. The project will start this spring. In two years, it will be evaluated to determine whether these solutions are effective in improving patient flow and quality of service, and whether they would be of value to other hospitals.
ED and Ambulance Quality Implementation Team
Ken Deane, President and CEO St. Joseph's Health Center in Toronto has been appointed Chair of the Emergency Department and Ambulance Quality Implementation Team, being set up to assist the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care with implementation of the Hospital Emergency Department And Ambulance Effectiveness Working Group Report recommendations. Having served in CEO and senior executive positions in a number of hospitals throughout Ontario, and led significant transformations, Deane is well positioned to direct the implementation of the working group recommendations. The committee will have its inaugural meeting in March 2006.
This news release, along with other media materials, such as matte stories and audio clips, on other subjects, are available on our website at: http://www.health.gov.on.ca under the News Media section.
Version française disponible.
Backgrounder
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January 30, 2006
CRITICAL CARE RESPONSE TEAMS
Critical Care Response Teams (CCRTs) consist of intensive care physicians, intensive care nurses and Respiratory Therapists who are available 24/7 to take the skills and expertise of a critical care unit beyond its four walls. These innovative teams can deliver care within minutes to any area of the hospital for patients whose condition may be deteriorating. Their quick action will help stabilize patients, reducing the need for lengthy stays in Intensive Care Units (ICU). Working in partnership with specially trained staff in the hospital wards, the teams will also provide assessments on the spot to ensure that patients receive the right care in the right unit of the hospital, including the ICU, thereby saving lives and increasing access to critical care resources.
In pilot programs at four Ontario hospitals, preliminary results were impressive. For example, the Ottawa Hospital demonstrated a 30 per cent reduction in in-patient cardiac arrests. More established teams in other jurisdictions have reached reduction rates over 50 per cent after several years of operation. At University Health Network, the average length of stay in the ICU of patients admitted from the ward dropped from an average of 7 to 2 days and mortality dropped from 14 per cent to 8 per cent over the same period. The ministry will continue monitoring these results to ensure that this innovative approach to patient care yields its full benefits. It is estimated that the the creation of 26 CCRTs will result in improved access to ICU resources equivalent to adding 40 to 50 ICU beds throughout the system. Thus, these teams will help save lives and improve patient outcomes while ensuring that all Ontarians have better access to ICU services.
The following is a list of 26 hospital sites that will establish Critical Care Response Teams, including a demonstration of the model at four paediatric sites.
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HOSPITALS SELECTED FOR PHYSICIAN-LED CCRTs
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CENTRAL LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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1. North York General Hospital
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CENTRAL EAST LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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2. The Scarborough Hospital - General Site
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HAMILTON NIAGARA HALDIMAND BRANT LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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3. Hamilton Health Sciences Centre - General Site
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4. Hamilton Health Sciences Centre - McMaster Children's Hospital Site
(Demonstration)
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5. St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton
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CHAMPLAIN LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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6. Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (Demonstration)
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7. The Ottawa Hospital - General Campus
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8. The Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus
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MISSISSAUGA HALTON LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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9. The Credit Valley Hospital
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10. Trillium Health Centre - Mississauga Site
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11. Halton Healthcare Services - Oakville Trafalgar Site
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NORTHEAST LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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12. Sudbury Regional Hospital
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NORTHWEST LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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13. Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre
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SOUTHEAST LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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14. Kingston General Hospital
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SOUTHWEST LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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15. London Health Sciences Centre - Children's Hospital of Western
Ontario (Demonstration)
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16. London Health Sciences Centre - University Site
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17. London Health Sciences Centre - Victoria Site
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TORONTO CENTRAL LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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18. Hospital for Sick Children (Demonstration)
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19. Mount Sinai Hospital
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20. St. Joseph's Health Centre, Toronto
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21. St. Michael's Hospital
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22. Sunnybrook & Women's College Health Sciences Centre
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23. University Health Network - Toronto Western Site
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24. University Health Network - Toronto General Site
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25. Toronto East General Hospital
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WATERLOO WELLINGTON LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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26. Grand River Hospital
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This news release, along with other media materials, such as matte stories and audio clips, on other subjects, are available on our website at: http://www.health.gov.on.ca under the News Media section.
Version française disponible
Backgrounder
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January 30, 2006
INCREASED INTENSIVE CARE UNIT AND CHRONIC ASSISTED VENTILATORY CARE BEDS
The McGuinty government is committed to increasing access to critical care across the province by expanding the number of intensive care unit (ICU), step-down and chronic assisted ventilatory care (CAVC) beds.
ICU beds are used to care for patients in a hospital ICU, where specialized health care teams work 24/7 to save the lives of critically ill patients. Step-down beds provide high intensity monitoring and care for patients following surgery or following discharge from the ICU. CAVC beds, located at specialty hospitals, provide improved quality of life and rehabilitation opportunities for individuals who need mechanical assistance to maintain their breathing (chronically ventilated) but who are otherwise medically stable. At present, chronically ventilated patients often remain in an ICU for long periods, as the ventilation capacity may not be available elsewhere. CAVC beds are a better alternative for these patients.
The following is a list of hospitals receiving ICU and Chronic Assisted Ventilatory Care (CAVC) beds:
HOSPITALS RECEIVING ADDITIONAL ICU BEDS IN 2005/06
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Hospital Corporation Funding
No. Beds Bed Type provided
Funded ($ M)
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CENTRAL EAST LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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Peterborough Regional Health Centre 3 ICU 1.50
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CHAMPLAIN LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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The Ottawa Hospital 2 ICU 1.50
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ERIE ST. CLAIR LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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Windsor Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital 2 ICU 1.00
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HAMILTON NIAGARA HALDIMAND BRANT LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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Hamilton Health Sciences Centre 1 ICU 0.75
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MISSISSAUGA HALTON LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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Halton Healthcare 2 ICU 1.00
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NORTH EAST LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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Sudbury Regional Hospital 2 ICU 1.00
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SOUTH EAST LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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Kingston General Hospital 4 Step-Down 2.00
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SOUTH WEST LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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London Health Sciences Centre 2 ICU 1.50
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TOTAL $10.25
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HOSPITALS THAT RECEIVED NEW ICU AND CAVC BEDS IN 2004/05
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Hospital Corporation Funding
No. Beds Bed Type provided
Funded ($ M)
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CENTRAL LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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York Central Hospital 2 ICU 1.00
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CENTRAL EAST LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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Peterborough Regional Health Centre 2 ICU 1.00
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HAMILTON NIAGARA HALDIMAND BRANT LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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Hamilton Health Sciences Centre 2 ICU 1.50
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MISSISSAUGA HALTON LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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Halton Healthcare Services Corporation 2 ICU 1.00
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NORTH EAST LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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Hôpital régional de Sudbury Regional
Hospital 4 ICU 2.00
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TORONTO CENTRAL LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORK
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Mount Sinai Hospital 3 ICU 2.25
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St. Michael's Hospital 4 ICU 3.00
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University Hospital Network 8 ICU 6.00
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West Park Healthcare Centre 6 CAVC 1.30
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TOTAL $ 19.05
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This news release, along with other media materials, such as matte stories and audio clips, on other subjects, are available on our website at: http://www.health.gov.on.ca under the News Media section.
Version française disponible
>>
For further information: Media Contacts: David Spencer, Minister's Office, (416) 327-4320; John Letherby, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, (416) 314-6197; Members of the general public: (416) 327-4327, or 1-800-268-1154
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