Ontario Health Team Announced for Upper Canada, Cornwall and Area
2021-09-27
The Ontario
government in partnership with Ontario Health recently announced eight new
Ontario Health Teams (OHT) located across the province, including one for Upper
Canada, Cornwall and Area, covering the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and
Glengarry, City of Cornwall, Akwesasne, parts of Russell Township and rural
Southeast Ottawa.
OHTs provide
better integrated care by breaking down barriers that may exist between
health-care providers and geographic areas. They combine various health
services, including physicians and nurse practitioners, hospitals, home and
community care, community support services, mental health and addictions
services, community health centres, and long-term care.
The intent, when
the Upper Canada, Cornwall and Area OHT is at maturity, is that local people
will experience easier transitions from one provider to another, including, for
example, between hospitals, home care providers or long-term care homes, with
one patient story, one patient record and one care plan.
“In the future,
residents of our community will find it easier to access the right services,
thanks to a newly connected and integrated health-care system,” says Christine
Penney, Upper Canada, Cornwall and Area OHT Co-Chair. “This work also aims to
improve things for our health-care providers, who can also be stressed with
systemic issues when trying to provide the best care for patients. Ultimately,
the goal is to improve everyone’s experience with health-care.”
Tracy Crowder,
Upper Canada, Cornwall and Area OHT Co-Chair adds, “this new collaborative way
of delivering a connected health-care system will provide a better health and
community care experience for people in our area, and will reflect the
practices, principles and values that are important to the people we serve.”
Thirty-three
local partner organizations currently make up the Upper Canada, Cornwall and
Area OHT.
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The
vision of the Upper Canada, Cornwall and Area Ontario Health Team is “Where
everyone’s health and well-being matters!”