The health care landscape is always changing and we must always be prepared to adapt accordingly. Although there are still a lot of unanswered questions, we do know that significant change to the health system is on the horizon with the creation of Ontario Health Teams.
With significant changes looming, it doesn’t make sense to develop a five year strategic plan when we don’t know what the system structure will be, who our partners are, or how funding will be determined. It makes more sense to develop a focused, transitional plan that will enhance our Hospital’s performance while the new health system structure is determined.
A transitional strategic plan is an opportunity to focus on the overarching priorities that have the most significant impact on our Hospital, our patients and their families.
The changes to come represent opportunities to enhance our capacity and provides many advantages to the patient care journey.
The existing Strategic Plan 2020 will sunset early, in December 2019. The new plan will build on our accomplishments. We will focus on the same components in a different and deeper way. For example, we will apply what we have learned about partnerships with Indigenous health organizations to further enhance transitions to home for Indigenous patients.
The Right Care at the Right Time is Patient and Family Centred Care. We remain committed to our philosophy of keeping patients at the centre of everything we do.
Ensuring access to the Right Care at the Right Time remains as one of the most prevalent issues affecting our Hospital. Every improvement we make ensures that when patients are admitted they are able to move into an inpatient bed sooner. Most people try to avoid a stay in the hospital. When a stay in the hospital is necessary, patients want their acute care journey to be as short as possible. Once their acute care needs have been met, patients want their ongoing health care needs to be addressed.
The Right Plan addresses capacity challenges by focusing on:
- Admission avoidance
- An efficient, quality acute care experience
- Personalized transitions of care
Improving the patient journey over the transitional period will not only improve outcomes for our patients and their families, it will better position our Hospital for greater success when the Ontario Health Teams are in place.
The Right Care, at the Right Time = The Right Plan. It’s the right thing to do.
