Health care is changing in Dufferin-Caledon according to patient family advisor

The Hills of Headwaters Collaborative one step closer to becoming an Ontario Health Team  

ORANGEVILLE, ON – October 15, 2019 – The Hills of Headwaters Collaborative submitted its full Ontario Health Team (OHT) application, ahead of schedule, thanks to the tremendous efforts made by patients, caregivers, physicians, leaders and governors across Dufferin-Caledon.  

Bob Borden, Patient Advisor, Dufferin Area Family Health Team, says “I’m very optimistic. Many people assume that when multiple care providers are involved with their care, they are already connected. This isn’t always the case. I’m optimistic the changes underway will mean patients won’t have to repeat their story multiple times - providers will already be working together and ready to help.”  

The health system changes underway will transform the way health and care is organized and delivered – based on the needs of patients and providers. The vision of OHTs is for health care providers to work as one unified team; from hospitals and doctors to home and community care, services and programs are seamlessly designed to support the whole person.  

The Hills of Headwaters Collaborative’s 151-page OHT application provides a framework for integrated care in the Dufferin-Caledon context; from patients with complex care needs to individuals with palliative care needs as well as mental health and addictions. The plan is comprehensive and built out over several years.  

“The way we deliver care needs to keep pace with the changing needs of our communities. I think that the OHT model will help us with that by making it possible for people with lived experiences to be part of defining how their care is provided,” says Dr. Michael Gagnon, family physician practicing in Caledon.  

“I’m often a mediator between patients, families and caregivers. Sometimes people just aren’t on the same page and providers aren’t all that different. OHTs create a network of people and a space to collaborate. We can discuss different approaches and map out a plan that best suites each individual person and their unique needs,” explains Dr. Cathryn Candusso, family physician practicing in Orangeville.   

The first wave of OHTs will be identified by the Ministry of Health in the fall of 2019. Much of the integrated work is already underway with partners working together to map out how they can provide even better care in Dufferin-Caledon.    

Additional Responses from Members of The Hills of Headwaters Collaborative 

Lianne Barbour, Executive Director, Dufferin Area Family Health Team: “It is exciting to see each partner in the Collaborative share in a unified goal – to continue improving patient experience. The plans we have set in motion with our OHT application are a road map to achieving that.”  

Stacey Daub, former President & CEO, Headwaters Health Care Centre: “I am proud to have been able to play a part in this OHT application process and see leaders from across the care continuum in Dufferin-Caledon truly come together to reinforce their commitment to this community.” 

Kim Delahunt, Interim President & CEO, Headwaters Health Care Centre: “I really consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to continue on this OHT journey with all partners in the Collaborative. A sincere thanks to so many people who invested so much of themselves in this application - our community is richer for it.”   

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Background
On February 26 of this year, the Minister of Health, Christine Elliott, announced significant restructuring of the health care system, integrating multiple provincial agencies and specialized provincial programs into a single agency and introducing OHTs as a new way of organizing and delivering services for patients in communities across Ontario.  

The Hills of Headwaters Collaborative is a local partnership which consists of family doctors, health, social and municipal agencies. While there is a rich history of collaboration in Dufferin-Caledon the group redoubled its efforts shortly after the Minister’s announcement and subsequent March 1 visit, to witness first-hand the level of integration within Dufferin-Caledon.  

The Collaborative successfully held a Hills of Headwaters kick-off symposium bringing together over 100 community member organizations in June. Several community action groups have also been formed to advance on-the-ground improvements in mental health, palliative care and for other populations with complex health and social services needs.

The Collaborative was notified in July that it was selected to proceed to a full application as a next step in the OHT application process. Over 150 OHT submissions were received from across the province. The Hills of Headwaters Collaborative was one of 31 submissions selected to proceed to the full application stage. 

Additional Resources
The Hills of Headwaters Collaborative full OHT Application can be found here
Application appendicies can be found here
The Ontario Health Team website provides more background on the Province of Ontario’s rationale and step-by-step process to becoming an OHT  

Members of The Hills of Headwaters Collaborative (as listed in 2.2.1 in the Hills of Headwaters Appendix)