The Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network (HNHB LHIN) Board of Directors has approved a plan that will create a LHIN-wide integrated program for people who require complex care. The plan has seven recommendations that were all approved by the board on June 29, 2010.
The first recommendation was to agree upon a common definition of complex care, which was developed based on feedback from providers and work by the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA). Complex care is a specialized, time-limited program for people with complex medical conditions who require a hospital stay. The program provides ongoing assessment and active care by an interprofessional team to enhance health and quality of life.
Complex care admission criteria are defined within four streams, including behavioural health, which applies to “people with dementia and challenging behaviours who require skilled interventions in a controlled environment to facilitate their transition to the appropriate level of care.”
The Task Group also recommended an expanded role for the local Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) in patient flow processes, including the management of a centralized wait list and the implementation of common procedures for assessment, referral and placement.
The target date for full implementation of the integrated program for complex care is April 2012.
See the HNHB LHIN press release, “Integrated Program for Complex Care Approved by HNHB LHIN Board,” June 30, 2010, available at www.hnhblhin.on.ca. See also the Task Group’s final report, “An Integrated Program for Complex Care in the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network,” approved June 29, 2010, at www.hnhblhin.on.ca.