$1,845,832 investment to provide more on-call funding to doctors to care for patients when they need it.
Dufferin-Caledon (May 2, 2023) - Today, Sylvia Jones, MPP for Dufferin-Caledon announced the Ontario government is investing $1,845,832 for Headwaters Health Care Centre to support more on-call funding for doctors working after hours. This funding will help Dufferin-Caledon patients to continue to get the care they need in-hospital, right when and where they need it.
"Caring for our community is a team effort, and we are grateful to the government for their commitment to ensuring our physicians are always available for those in need. Patients are more likely to seek medical attention when they know that care is available when they need it," said Kim Delahunt, President & CEO, Headwaters Health Care Centre.
This funding follows through on previous agreements between the Ontario Medical Association and Ontario Ministry of Health to increase dedicated funding for physicians on-call. This funding will support on-call coverage at nearly 100 acute-care hospitals in Ontario.
“Additional on-call funding for physicians will provide greater opportunity for patients who need urgent medical care,” added Dr. Grace Wang, Chief of Staff and Vice President Medical Affairs, Headwaters Health Care Centre. “It will improve access to health care services for patients who need it the most, which will lead to better patient outcomes.”
This funding will support after-hours care at Headwaters and allow for more stable after-hours coverage. This investment recognizes the efforts of health care workers, especially those who provide on-call services in addition to their regular working hours whenever hospitals need it.
“Our government is ensuring hospitals have the funds needed so that their doctors can deliver high-quality care at any time of the day or night” said Sylvia Jones, MPP for Dufferin-Caledon. “For patients visiting hospitals across Ontario, this funding means they’ll receive the care they need when it is needed.”
For health care to help, it needs to happen in a timely manner. With Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is making it easier for people and families to get the care they need faster, when and where they need it.
Quick Facts:
- The province invests over $259 million in funding to support on-call coverage in acute-care hospitals across Ontario.
- This funding includes a $12.5 million investment from the 2021 Physician Services Agreement with the Ontario Medical Association which will also commits to a fundamental re-design of the Hospital On-Call Coverage program into a burden-based funding model. This ensures equitable distribution of funding across physicians providing on-call services.
- Over the last 3 years, the province has added more than 3,500 hospital beds across the province. Through 50 new major hospital development projects, Ontario will add another 3,000 new hospital beds over the next 10 years.
Additional Resources:
Media Contact:
Heather Grégoire, EA for Sylvia Jones, MPP Dufferin-Caledon
Heather.gregoire@pc.ola.org