Tuesday, December 03, 2024
Ontario. Ministry of Health - [Toronto - University Avenue] - [Public Health Care]
Ontario Continuing to Build a More Connected and Convenient Health Care System
New legislation will strengthen governance and transparency, enhance patient care and improve service delivery
Today, the Ontario government introduced the More Convenient Care Act, 2024, which would, if passed, take the next step in the province’s plan to provide more people with the right publicly funded care, in the right place by building healthier communities, and bolstering the province’s health care workforce today and in the future.
“With the More Convenient Care Act, our government is taking the next steps to improve how the health care system connects people to high-quality care, at every stage of life,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “With this legislation, we are continuing to bring forward bold actions and innovative solutions to create a stronger, more connected health care system.”
Included in the package of proposed initiatives, the government would deliver on its commitment to support the voluntary mergers of nine Local Public Health Agencies (LPHAs) into four new entities. These mergers will address long-standing issues in Ontario’s public health sector, such as capacity limitations, organizational performance inconsistencies and challenges with staff recruitment and retention of health care staff. The province is also working with public health partners to clarify the roles and responsibilities of public health units to build healthier communities across the province.
Other legislative and regulatory changes being proposed in order to connect more people to convenient care, close to home, include:
Strengthening Governance and Transparency
- Creating a transparency framework for staffing agencies that operate in the hospital, long-term care and community health sectors, to disclose administrative mark-up rates to the government through the new Health Care Staffing Agency Reporting Act, 2024.
- Enhancing hospital governance by working with the sector to define best practices, ensuring providers across the province have access to the tools and resources they need to deliver high-quality care.
Enhancing Patient Care
- Modernizing the provincial electronic health record (EHR) as the next step to being able to provide eligible Ontarians with safe, secure and direct access to their personal health information online through Health811 next year.
- Allowing nurse practitioners to complete and sign mandatory blood testing forms to expand access to care for people submitting applications, including victims of crimes, correctional officers, members of the College of Nurses of Ontario, medical or nursing students, and paramedics.
- Exploring options that would support consistent and quality mental health and addiction services by better understanding the variety of services provided by this workforce.
- Reviewing the ambulance vehicle and equipment standards to enhance patient safety and make it faster for paramedics to access the tools they need to deliver emergency care.
Improving Service Delivery
- Strengthening the authority of the Chief Medical Officer of Health to promote greater alignment, and consistency when issuing orders to local Chief Medical Officers of health across different health regions.
- Updating public health regulations for public pools, zoonotic diseases, and diseases of public health significance to reduce burden and align with best evidence.
If passed, the More Convenient Care Act, 2024 builds on the Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, to connect Ontarians to the care right care, where and when they need it.
Quick Facts:
- The voluntary mergers of nine LPHAs into four will include:
- Porcupine Health Unit and Timiskaming Health Unit
- Brant County Health Unit and Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit
- Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit and Peterborough County-City Health Unit
- Hastings and Prince Edward Counties Health Unit, Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Health Unit and Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
- Last year, the Ontario government released Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care to bring more convenient care options closer to home while shortening wait times for key services across the province and growing the health care workforce for years to come.
- Since expanding the role of registered nurses to prescribe medications, 291 registered nurses have completed the required training and are authorized to prescribe.
- The province also continues to expand the scope of practice for nurse practitioners, recently announcing new changes to make it faster and more convenient to connect people to the care they need, when they need it. Ontario is investing $743 million over three years to continue to address immediate health care staffing needs, as well as to grow the workforce for years to come.
- Across government and in collaboration with the Ontario Medical Association, the government is reviewing key forms to streamline and simplify them, minimize any duplication, and identify opportunities for digital solutions, while helping doctors put patients before paperwork.
Quotes:
"We are taking bold, government-wide action to modernize service delivery and strengthen systems that Ontarians rely on every day. The passage of our Ministry’s Bill 194 last week reinforces our government’s commitment to protecting personal information and ensuring the responsible use of data in hospitals, schools, and public institutions. These measures align closely with the goals of the More Convenient Care Act, which builds a more connected and transparent health care system. Together, we are creating a future where technology, data security, and innovative solutions come together to enhance government services, strengthen public trust, and support better health care for all Ontarians."
- Todd McCarthy, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement
"The proposed changes will strengthen Ontario’s long-term care sector and ensure transparency. Our government understands the challenges facing the health care sector and is working to ensure Ontario’s investments result in the highest quality of care for residents."
- Natalia Kusendova-Bashta , Minister of Long-Term Care
"The Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs (OAPC) supports the move by this government to review the vehicle and equipment standards for paramedic services. This will reduce weight in paramedic bags as well as waste due to expiring medications. Reviewing the vehicle standards will allow for smaller ambulances and open up more options for paramedic services to take advantage of new vehicle design and technology."
- Greg Sage, President, Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs (OAPC)
"The Police Association of Ontario supports the Ministry of Health’s decision to expand the Mandatory Blood Testing Act to include nurse practitioners in authorizing mandatory blood tests. This change enhances the efficiency and accessibility of a critical process that protects first responders, including police officers, who may be exposed to potentially infectious and/or communicable diseases. It reflects a modern, collaborative approach to healthcare and ensures timely interventions that safeguard our members’ health and well-being."
- Mark Baxter, President, Police Association of Ontario
"Addiction counsellors work with people during an extremely vulnerable period in their lives. CACCF applauds the Ontario Government’s initiative to consult stakeholders to ensure that Addiction Counsellors are well-trained, certified, credentialled, and up-to-date with emerging trends and treatments. This important step towards developing a regulatory framework aligns with CACCF’s 40-year mission to advocate for professional excellence while prioritizing public safety and trust."
- Doug Brewer , Executive Director, Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation
Additional Resources:
Media Contacts:
Hannah Jensen
Minister Jones’ Office
Hannah.R.Jensen@ontario.ca
Media Relations
Communications Branch
media.moh@ontario.ca
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