The Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres, Canadian Mental Health Association Lambton Kent, Public General Hospital Society of Chatham and St. Joseph’s Health Services Association of Chatham Inc., announced their interlocked approach to secure capital investments for patients/clients across Chatham-Kent.
Achieved through a single integrated strategy with three distinct sub-projects, the plan touts improved access for mental health, primary care and emergency services. The strategy, which bridges three sectors within the healthcare system, is a pioneering approach to capital planning that is founded on the delivery of quality, safe care while taking advantage of a new provincial policy for community-based organizations.
“This is an exciting proposal that we are proud to put forward on behalf of our organizations and for the benefit of our collective patients/clients and community of Chatham-Kent. This joint proposal presents an unprecedented opportunity for the LHIN and government to invest and strengthen our local healthcare delivery system. We are optimistic that it will receive quick and favorable reviews and approval,” stated Shirley Davies, Board President, Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres.
Collaboration across organizations and sectors, to ensure continued and seamless access to quality care, is one of the most impactful and significant strategic imperatives of the Ministry of Health and Long- Term Care and the Erie St. Clair LHIN. The Chatham-Kent sub region of Erie St. Clair is a leader of integrated healthcare delivery, in the region and the province, and has been encouraged by the ESC LHIN to continue on this track.
“We know that early intervention by trusted primary care and mental health providers has the greatest impact on health outcomes and quality of life for our patients/clients. This plan celebrates the critical role our organizations play within the local system and positions Chatham-Kent to continue to be recognized as leaders in integrated delivery systems,” stated Spencer Dickson, Board Chair, Canadian Mental Health Association Lambton Kent.
The planning philosophy has been to develop a system that provides high quality care and reduces the current and future risks to patients.
Leadership affirms their belief that this strategy and its three- pronged approach, is best able to achieve approval of the LHIN and MOH. It also achieves their collective goals for patients/clients and the system, it is a plan that:
– Improves access to the right care at the right time in the right place by the right provider for patients/clients across Chatham-Kent, including for primary care and preventative care in addition to emergency services;
– Provides for much needed enhanced, collaborative, co-located and integrated space for service delivery in Chatham and Wallaceburg; and,
– Utilizes healthcare resources, fiscal and human, to the best extent possible throughout the system, achieving efficiencies, creating capacity and delivering high quality care.
The plan includes an investment in facilities in Chatham-Kent to better support mental health and addictions services; a community hub in Wallaceburg that creates single point of access for patients needing mental health, primary/preventative or first response/urgent care services along with the synergies and benefits collocation creates between providers; and, a re-designed approach to emergency services with high acuity care centralized in Chatham and an emergency access centre (EAC) in Wallaceburg. A summary outlining the strategy and sub-projects follows the release.
The most significant feature of the plan is enhanced access to primary and preventative care, which the data indicates is a need across Chatham-Kent.
The combined plans focus on this critical element to creating a healthier community and to improve patient outcomes long before a reliance on acute care services develops. The plan supports the mechanism in which healthcare is intended to be delivered – timely access to primary and preventative care close to home with the appropriate supports for emergent and acute care needs when required.
“We have already demonstrated that our integration and collaborations make a difference to patients and improve outcomes and performance. These investments build on these experiences to deliver physical environments that further enhance seamless access for citizens across Chatham-Kent. It creates truly dynamic, inter-professional, integrated and collaborative practices through which services can be delivered. Moreover, our patients need and deserve all this plan offers,” said Jane Havens, Board Chair, Public General Hospital.
The organizations submitted their plan to the Erie St. Clair LHIN for approval and are looking forward to the opportunity to review this strategy with the LHIN Board. Chatham-Kent remains the only jurisdiction within the LHIN to bring forward joint and cross-sector capital and operational plans that span three dimensions of the healthcare system.
