Monday, February 29, 2016
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Ontario Making New $345 Million Investment in Hospitals
2016 Budget Includes New Investments in High-Quality Health Care
As part of the 2016 Budget, Ontario is proposing a new investment of more than $345 million to all publicly funded hospitals, include a one per cent increase to base funding, to provide better patient access to high quality health care services.
In 2016-2017, hospitals would receive:
- $175 million to provide patients with access to more services in new and redeveloped hospitals and for targeted priority services such as organ and tissue transplants
- $160 million to improve access and wait times for hospital services, including additional procedures such as cataract surgeries, knee and hip replacements and knee arthroscopies
- $7.5 million for small, northern and rural hospitals, which is in addition to Ontario's $20 million Small and Rural Hospital Transformation Fund
- $6 million for mental health hospitals
Investing in hospitals is part of the government's plan to build a better Ontario through its Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care, which provides patients with faster access to the right care; better home and community care; the information they need to live healthy; and a health care system that is sustainable for generations to come.
Quick Facts:
- There are 154 hospitals in Ontario
- Hospital funding in Ontario has increased more than 50 per cent, from $11.5 billion in 2003-04 to $17.4 billion in 2016-17
Additional Resources:
Quotes:
"With this new and important funding, we are working to ensure that patients can receive the procedures they need faster, such as hip and knee replacements and cataract surgery. Investing in hospitals is part of our commitment to put patients first by ensuring they get the high-quality health care they need - when they need it."
— Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
"The province's economic plan supports strong public services in communities across Ontario. The plan reinforces one of the most important provincial services on which Ontarians rely - health care. The 2016 Budget supports continued commitments to increase patients' access to primary care, to provide more care for people at or close to home and to help all Ontario families continue to receive quality health care."
— Charles Sousa, Minister of Finance
"This investment will go to support frontline care and help to keep wait times low, maintain access to elective surgery and ensure that important health service programs are maintained. Ontario hospitals have been relentless in further improving their performance and have developed strong partnerships with government and other providers in an effort to create a better experience for patients and clients across a range of services."
— Anthony Dale, President and CEO of the Ontario Hospital Association
Media Contact:
David Jensen
Communications and Marketing Division-MOHLTC
416-314-6197
media.moh@ontario.ca
|