Moving Towards Integrated Health Care: Ontario’s Health System Transformation

On February 26th, the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) announced that the provincial government is committed to transforming Ontario’s health care system to be centred around patients, their families, and their caregivers. During the announcement, the Minister said that the province has an opportunity to “amplify the strength of what’s working by bringing our resources together.” As such, the government is establishing a new agency, Ontario Health, to bring the best of our system together by integrating the programs and operations of existing provincial agencies.

Also on February 26th, Bill 74, The People’s Health Care Act, 2019 was introduced into Legislation. Within this Bill is the Connecting Care Act, 2019, which if passed, will be the first step towards creating Ontario Health, a Crown agency. The new single agency will bring together 14 local health integration networks (LHINs), Cancer Care Ontario, eHealth Ontario, Health Quality Ontario, Trillium Gift of Life Network, Health Shared Services Ontario, HealthForceOntario Marketing and Recruitment Agency, and other health organizations like CorHealth Ontario. After the introduction of the legislation, the Board of Directors for Ontario Health was announced on March 8th. Director names and details can be found here.

CorHealth Ontario has always had a focus on evidence-informed practice being delivered consistently across the province; integrating care delivery where possible; and, supporting the best cardiac, stroke, and vascular care for all Ontarians. This approach is consistent with the MOHLTC’s vision for Ontario Health.

We understand that this transformation will be a long term process and are unclear as to when CorHealth Ontario will be transitioned. In the meantime, CorHealth Ontario is committed to continuing to work with you to focus on Ontario’s cardiac, stroke, and vascular care.

We have indicated to the MOHLTC that we are prepared to assist them in any way we can with the transformation. We will provide an update on this item in the next issue of CorHealth Quarterly, or if new information becomes available sooner, we will issue a Bulletin. In the meantime, please call me if you have any questions at 416-512-7472 ext. 2.

Sheila Jarvis

Interim CEO

March 2019 Articles: