The Ontario Health Team in Chatham-Kent is committing to taking some pressure off the hospitals in Chatham and Wallaceburg, focus on mental health and addictions, and develop a recovery plan for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The goals are part of its inaugural 2021-2024 strategic plan released on Wednesday. The plan stated the priority population is those aged 55 and older with heart failure or angina, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), dementia, diabetes, and have complex health conditions.
The team said it's aiming to reduce avoidable visits to the local emergency departments by 5 per cent and to reduce the hospitalization of patients with conditions such as diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by 10 per cent. Chatham-Kent has higher use of emergency department services and rates of hospital admission than the rest of the province.
The plan will also expand the focus to include mental health and addictions. In Chatham-Kent, about one in five people have a mental health condition or illness and is known to be in a high prescribing region for opioids.
In 2017, Chatham-Kent had 55 emergency department visits, 24 hospitalizations, and four deaths attributed to opioid use. In the same year, the rate of opioids prescribed per 100,000 in Ontario was 110.2, while in Chatham-Kent, the rate was 154.9. The local public health unit also provides concerning data regarding injectable drug use, and other substance use in the municipality.
“We are entering an era of opportunity, to come together to make positive change for our residents, patients, caregivers and their families," said Executive Transformation Lead Melissa Sharpe-Harrigan. "We have set five bold goals to help us improve health care in many innovative and collaborative ways in Chatham-Kent by 2024."
Health team officials said many overall health indicators in Chatham-Kent are poor in comparison to Ontario and the rural landscape presents challenges for health equity and accessibility. Health team officials said all but three family physicians in Chatham-Kent have signed on to support the Chatham-Kent Ontario Health Team achieve the best health and wellness for the community.
The health team said it will also research the reasons why Physicians and Nurse Practitioners work, stay, and leave Chatham-Kent to inform a coordinated Primary Care Recruitment and Retention Strategy.
“We have worked very hard to create a strategic plan that has been guided by patients and healthcare providers and look forward to leveraging our strong relationships within our Chatham-Kent Ontario Health Team to achieve our goals over the next three years," noted Physician Co-Chair Dr. Briana Yee-Providence. "Transforming care at the local level we will focus on navigation of the healthcare system with improved access to care that is patient-focused and strives for equality.”
The strategic plan was built from input from over 1,700 residents in Chatham-Kent, and hundreds of health, social, and community support services leaders.
Ontario Health Teams are groups of providers and organizations that are clinically and fiscally accountable for delivering full and coordinated care to a geographic population. In Ontario, there are currently 42 Ontario Health Teams, who at maturity, will represent more than 86 per cent of Ontario’s population.
