The North East Local Health Integration Network (NE LHIN) is supporting the communities of Temiskaming and Timmins in developing Health Links; an important part of Ontario’s Action Plan for Health Care. Health Links provide more rapid, integrated access to family health care and that is particularly important for patients with complex conditions such as seniors, those with multiple chronic diseases, and those with mental illness and addictions. These segments of the population require more than regular care, from a variety of professionals. By helping health service providers stay connected every time a patient accesses care, Health Links will improve the coordination and delivery of care.
Health partners in both communities are currently preparing Health Links plans to be submitted to the NE LHIN by February18, 2013. The plans will give the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the NE LHIN an overview of work that has already been done to support more coordinated care, work that is still required and details of the help that may be needed to implement the strategy.
The goals of Health Links include:
- Shorter wait times,
- Reduced duplication of services,
- Fewer emergency room visits and hospital readmissions,
- Help more people receive care at home, and
- Improve peoples’ experiences in the health care system.
The media release, “Linking Providers to Centre Care on Patients” is available on the North East LHIN website.
You can read about Ontario’s Action Plan for Health Care on the Ontario government website.